The Hostage
by G4M3R
Summary: Everyone knew Riddick's reign over the Necromongers was temporary. But they never expected this! New character x Riddick pairing. Set post Chronicles, after Riddick assumes the mantle of leadership. Rated M for adult content.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CoR copyrights or plotlines. I just like to play with them.

To the Middle of the Universe and Back AgainChapter One: The Way of Things

It's amazing how small the universe really is. No, really. People used to say that about their own planets. Then, they realized just how true it was. Next they moved on to say that it was amazing how small their galaxy is. Again, they realized the magnitude of the truth in this statement. Now, it was the universe. That all-encompassing term to include everything known to man, Martian, Venutian, Helionite, Black-Hole-ian, and even Crematorian. Yep. Especially Crematorians, haha!

Leilani (pronounced Lay-lon-ee) sat on the veranda of her own home pondering that little concept. How could something so vast really be so small? Dozens of cruisers, battleships, freighters, tankers, yachts, and speeders flitted to and fro in the sky above this busy metropolis, each occupant aware only of their own little bubble, yet infinitely connected in some way to all of the others around them.

The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. The metalworker, the architect, the politician, and King. The adulterous husband and his shameless new mistress. The black market merchant, his traders, and all those consumers. It really amazed her to think that one being could touch so many throughout this thing called a universe without realizing the effects of their own actions. Like, how a single batch of barely bad eggs could cause the downfall of an entire kingdom. Impossible?

The butcher could have sold a dozen fresh eggs that sat out ten seconds too long to the baker, who in turn used those "bad eggs" in his bread which the candlestick maker bought for lunch. See how this goes? The candlestick maker is laid out for a day, puking his miserable guts out, and unable to craft those special-order spiral candles that the metalworker requested for his elaborate sconces. The architect gets pissed because the sconces he wants from the metalworker are absent of candles, and it looks horrible on the walls of the house he's trying to sell to this rich politician, whose brother is the King. The politician gets pissed because now he can't host that big birthday bash for his royal brother in his new house—who incidentally is trying to woo his new mistress without his wife's knowledge. The wife finds out, kills the King, and a new leader must be ordained. The King's top merchant is now exiled because without the previous King's diplomatic immunity, he's now a felon. His traders are jailed right along with him, leaving a bunch of cut-throat, needy consumers pissed off. A riot ensues that destroys the whole kingdom. All over a measly batch of rotten eggs.

Small place, easily tipped over the edge from democratic, sane life into brilliant chaos. Gotta love the universe.

These were the things Leilani thought about.

In these times, one never knew what their own actions influenced until the universe came crashing down around their ears, and they're left wondering how in the hell a batch of rotten eggs led to a kingdom's demise. Pretty deep stuff.

Leilani found herself rudely snatched out of her own thoughts by the boisterous shouts of the neighbor boy.

"Hey, daydreamer, when are we going on that date?"

"Piss off," Leilani replied, nonplussed. She stood, lifting her lithe frame off her veranda steps and disappeared behind the slam of the screen door.

It wasn't that she wasn't attracted to men. She just abhorred how they treated her. Cat calls. Pick-up lines. Shy requests. Outright demands. Men just never did the right thing to stoke her fire, so to speak. Most of the time, she let them down nicely. Unless they were outright jerks. Then she reveled in humiliating them. Her tongue and wit were as sharp as any keenly edged blade.

Sometimes, they called her the ice queen. Still others speculated that she wasn't into men at all, that her screen door slammed the other way, so to speak. That wasn't the case, either. She had absolutely no desire to be with another woman. She couldn't stand women, either. Simpering, back-stabbing, catty, petty, nonsensical, prattling, miserable beings, the whole lot of them. She had no use for small talk and idle chatter. She had no use for lusting after the resident beefcakes with no brains. She hated dressing up, just so that some drunken fool slobbered all over her with the hopes of pricking her with his single claim to glory. No thanks.

She padded barefoot into her living room and said "Television, on." In this day in age, almost everything was voice activated. In some arenas of scientific research, they'd been able to make such functions thought activated. What a beautiful thing it would be if people could just stop talking, except to say something a little bit intelligent.

As the modest-sized flat-panel TV blinked to life, she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on her open first-level bathroom door. Leilani was by no means a vain person—though several people had been keen on telling her that with just a teensy bit of effort on her part, she could put many of the planet's best looking females of all species to shame.

She wore a simple, white, crewneck tee with cut-off jean shorts that weren't too showy—they stopped at mid-thigh, and she was barefoot, as was her preference. She was by no means a dark-skinned woman. Quite the contrary. She possessed ivory-hued skin that bore the texture of fine porcelain. Credit that to her aversion to overexposure to sunlight. Her eyes were an odd shade of green—not quite seafoamy, not quite olive, and were rimmed in stark contrast by hunter green borders. Her hair, the color of dark caramel, bore lighter blonde streaks, and was messily tied back at the nape of her neck. It wasn't straight, but it wasn't curly. Somewhere in the middle, though it was easy enough for her to work both ends of the spectrum, should she try. She wasn't exactly skinny, though she was nowhere near overweight. As her good friend Alana said, she had curves in all the right places, though she often dressed to hide it.

Alana was one of the few people with whom Leilani kept regular company. She was a firecracker of a girl, with dark, dazzling red hair and the same sort of alabaster skin Leilani possessed. Her vivid blue eyes sparkled and crackled with mischief, the kind which often left the both of them in some hard spot or another. No matter—they were the type of dynamic duo that always managed to get out of the trouble they were so fond of causing.

They'd gone to college together—Leilani the intellect, artist, and free-spirit, working as a freelance journalist, novelist, sculptor, and painter; Alana the gear head obsessed with working on and improving engines and anything that went fast, with a quirky compulsive penchant for high fashion. It was often said in the rumor mill about the city that the two of them were secretly engaged. At this, they both laughed heartily. While Leilani was the ice queen, Alana was the Marilyn Monroe of this millennium. She'd dated politicians, rock musicians, artists, actors, and any type of public figure she could get her hands on. Her only stipulation: They had to be ravishingly handsome and drive high performance cruisers.

Leilani's focus shifted back to the TV, where the news blared unabashedly about the universe's top scandals. Sure enough, the philandering King of Helion Medialis, the planet on which Leilani called home, had bedded and impregnated the buxom daughter of one of his adviseurs. That went over especially well on such a religious, monogamist culture as that of the Helion colonies. May the Father save the Queen. Leilani had to laugh. She wasn't at all religious. In all actuality, she was agnostic.

She sat unceremoniously in her chair with an unladylike "harrumph!" and had just reached for the untouched, sweating glass of ice water, when the phone rang.

"Oh, what now?" she groused aloud, reaching over for the small, silver device next to the coveted glass of ice water.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Hey! So, I've got a line on this shindig downtown tonight!"

Ah, the spitfire herself.

"I don't want to go anywhere tonight."

"Oh, you wanker!"

At this, Leilani had to laugh. Alana was always digging up words from the past and using them in modern conversation. It'd been several centuries since "wanker" had been in use—circa 2100 A.D. Earth, pre-World War III, when Earth was still habitable. Alana had a strange infatuation with Earth. She was saving up her Helion galleons in the salvaged fuel tank off her first cruiser, after she totaled it in a really bad accident. Once it was full, she was sure she'd have enough for a two-way trip for the both of them.

"I'm not a wanker, you moron. I just don't feel like going out. Blech. You go. Have fun with that new rockstar boyfriend of yours."

"He's not a rockstar—he's a cellist."

"Yeah, whatever. Same difference."

"You of all people know the difference, especially between noisemaking guitars and classically trained cellists! Besides, it's not like a rave party. It's high class, and sophisticated. There's going to be all sorts of diplomats, artists, models, actors, and the like there."

"How did you get in?"

"Easy, I fixed his cruiser for free."

"Not for free."

"Haha, ok, so we had a little fun on the hood."

"Have you no shame?!" Leilani exclaimed, finally reaching for the glass of ice water and taking a long draught.

"Oh come on! It was in the garage," Alana laughingly replied.

"Was the door closed?"

"No, but it was night time!"

"Oh, disgrace to the Father."

"Oh, shut up. You don't believe that crap anyways. So are you coming or not?"

"I don't have anything to wear."

"I've got stuff."

"You're not letting me off, are you?"

"Nope. It's the event of the decade! The new ruler of Helion Prime is going to be there—it's his first appearance. He's quite the deal, from what I've heard. He's absolutely feral! And, he's the last of the Furyans."

"Blech, but he's a necro! Don't you remember, you know, five years ago, when the Necromongers were going to crush our little planet and force us into their twisted religion?" Leilani countered, disbelieving the turn this conversation had taken.

"He's not one of them, idiot. He brought their whole regime down. They've lost."

"Alright, well, just do me a favor? When you try to bed him, will you at least keep your little cellist friend ignorant of the fact?"

"Haha, no way. I want 'em both at the same time!"

"I'm hanging up now."

"See you at seven."

"Right. I like the black dress."

"I've got five."

"I like 'em all."

"Fine. Bye."

"Bye."

Leilani sat back and took another swig of the ice water. Just dandy, she thought to herself. Once again, she'd be going solo to another party to watch while her provocative, salacious, and shameless friend had her way with whatever man she stumbled across.

She looked over at the slim laptop sitting on her coffee table. Her novel was due in a month. It was already finished, though she hadn't done any fine-tuning. That was all because of one thing. She hated her editor. The woman always ripped her work to pieces, only to put it back together again, at which point, it completely lost its voice. Her voice. Oh well. She'd sold a couple million copies of her first two books. It wasn't a total loss. She just couldn't wait until the publisher trusted her enough to edit her own stuff or at least choose her own editor. She was pretty sure she'd sell more books that way.

Leilani wrote action-laced romance novels. They weren't the typical "woman porn", cheesy paperbacks 150 pages long of back-to-back outrageously hot sex romps like those of which over saturated the market for the past eight hundred years. Her books were actually read by as many men as women. They actually had complicated, intriguing plotlines. Her latest work was about this twenty-year-old karate prodigy from the outer reaches of the Milky Way galaxy who, after winning the Universe Young Karate championships, is kidnapped and put into employ as an assassin for a gunrunning tycoon based on Helion Omega. She falls in love with one of the clients, who turns out to be an undercover intergalactic FBI agent from Earth, trying to bust her boss's crime ring. Cheesy sort of dime store mystery plotline, but she made it into a great story.

She began re-reading the story for the hundredth time, making minor adjustments here and there, exchanging better-sounding synonyms and extending a couple of scenes within the first chapter. She was just moving on to the second chapter when she glanced at the clock.

It was 6:58 p.m. and she hadn't showered yet.

"Dammit!" she cursed, saving the file on her computer and clicking it shut. She dashed to her upstairs bedroom, stripped and jogged into the shower. In the middle of washing her hair, she realized that she'd forgotten to grab her towel. Oh well, it wasn't the first time she'd streaked, soaking wet, in her own house. Besides, what did it matter if the walls saw her naked? She just hated getting the carpet wet, because she knew she'd put socks on and have to change them three or four times before she realized it was a futile effort. She hated having wet socks on.

She was just finishing shaving her legs when she heard the screen door downstairs slam shut, and Alana's foghorn sounded at the bottom of the stairs:

"Hey, wanker! I _know_ you're not just stepping into the damn shower!"

Leilani pulled the shower door open and shouted back, "I'm not, I'm just getting out, thank you! Did you remember the dress?"

Footsteps outside the bathroom door. Then, a blond head poked in. "Yup!"

"Oh my God, your hair!" Leilani shrieked, throwing open the door the rest of the way.

"Oh my God, you're naked!" Alana laughed.

Leilani shut the door, a flush like the red tide instantly lighting her cheeks. "Get out! I'm almost done!"

"Well hurry up. I'm doing your hair and make up, too!"

"Can you bring me a towel, please?"

"What the hell would you do without me?" Alana cursed, coming back into the bathroom a moment later with the huge bath sheet. She draped it over the closed toilet seat and disappeared again.

Leilani clumsily dried her body and hair, then quickly smoothed jasmine-scented moisturizing oil over her still-damp skin. She tied the towel around her torso and trotted out of the bathroom. Alana sat on her bed with five black dresses of varying styles and lengths laid out beside her. She was beaming like a parent at Christmas waiting for the kids to open their gifts.

Alana's new hairstyle was surprisingly fitting of the spitfire. She'd chopped it off in a spiky, pixie-cut and dyed it a platinum light blonde. Leilani looked at her as if she'd never seen her before in her life.

"Do say you like it. It's a bit drastic. Mom had a fit," Alana replied with an uncharacteristic wave of self-doubt creeping into her voice. Normally she was the type to tell you your opinion, rather than ask it.

"I love it! I really do! It's cute! They did your eyebrows, too?"

"Yes. Ethan, that's the cellist, has this hairdresser friend who begged me to let her do my hair for this evening. I'm so glad you like it!" Alana replied, standing and hugging her still-somewhat-wet friend.

"It's gorgeous! Very fresh! I like it," Leilani said, letting go of her friend and surveying the dresses.

There was only one with what could have been called a long skirt. It would have barely skimmed her knees. But the neckline cut in a low V almost to her belly button and tied at the back of her neck. There was a shimmering ring that tied the garment together between her breasts.

Leilani looked in the full-length mirror on the back of her door, turning to catch herself at all angles. She felt naked in this dress, and she'd have to wear one of those damn stick-on bras. Next!

Alana watched, dismayed, as Leilani moved from the longest dress, which had been her favorite choice, to one of the shorter ones. The next one she tried on had a flouncy mini-skirt set with a tight-fitting bodice that laced up in the back and pleated, flouncy sleeves that flowed to her elbows. The neckline was a less severe V, though it showed ample cleavage.

Leilani did a quick mirror check, and really liked it. Alana wasn't as keen, and begged that she try on the others before making her choice. Sighing, Leilani obliged.

The next dress was a mini-dress. It was simple and sheer, with cap sleeves and a low, square neckline. It was definitely _not_ the dress to wear to an extravagant evening out. Especially when what Alana was wearing put it to shame.

Alana had on a beautiful bright silver number. The bodice of the dress was spaghetti-strapped, formfitting, and clung to her hard body like a second skin. The neckline "veed" modestly, baring an ample amount of cleavage, but not so much that it left nothing to the imagination. The skirt flowed easily from her waist in multiple strips of shimmering fabric, the hemline running diagonally from the top of her left knee clear up nearly to the top of her right thigh. She wore strappy, high-heeled, silver sandals to complete the outfit.

"Do you have a black version of that?" Leilani asked as she donned the next dress.

"Sadly enough, I don't. Try the next one. It's one of my favorites."

The next dress was also a mini dress, though at the hem of the skirt, the fabric was pleated and flowy. The bodice was a little tighter than the skirt, which flowed out a little bit. The neckline was an over-the-shoulder deal, leaving an open back and uncovered left shoulder. Though the piece looked great on Alana, it wasn't at all comfortable on Leilani.

The last dress was sheer perfection the instant Leilani put it on. There was no bodice—the skirt started directly beneath her bosom and flowed to just above her knees. It was spaghetti-strapped and slightly-veed on top, clinging just right to her breasts. It was a flouncy, flowy number, and Leilani felt comfortable in it.

"This one," she said, looking and finding Alana nodding in approval.

"Let me tighten it up a little in back," Alana said, adjusting a small, nearly invisible clip at the bottom of the mostly-open back of the dress. The flowy skirt tightened a little around Leilani's midsection, giving her a more streamlined appearance.

"Now for the shoes," Leilani chortled, pattering barefoot over to her closet. Alana followed, and together they pored over the selection.

Leilani was, admittedly, a shoe-girl. If she saw a pair she liked, she'd buy 'em. It didn't matter if they didn't match anything she owned—she'd just have to buy an outfit that matched the shoes.

"With a dress like that and as hot as it's going to be, we need sandals," Alana said, pulling out a few pairs of sandals from the closet floor.

There was a bright blue set of thong-type sandals with enormous flowers at the vee where the straps met between the toes. These were immediately thrown to the wayside. Then, there was a set of silver high-heeled sandals that had straps up to mid calf. These were tossed in a "maybe" pile. The next ones were black heels, twins to the silver ones. Again, put in the maybe pile. Then there was a set of black flats that looked like a feminine version of ancient Roman or Athenian earthling sandals. The lacing was lined with silver thread.

Leilani tried on all three, and they settled for the Athenians, as she didn't particularly feel like walking on stilts tonight. Alana agreed that they completed the look best, and begged to do Leilani's hair.

Sighing, Leilani followed her boisterous friend into the bathroom, where Alana immediately started rolling Coke-can-sized rollers into Leilani's caramel-hued hair. While they waited for the self-heating rollers to warm up and shape her hair, Alana began doing Leilani's make up.

She let Leilani apply her own foundation, then quickly set to work with the rest of the production. She brushed a light pink shimmery blush over Leilani's high cheek bones, recreating a breezy, happy flush. Then, she set to work with glimmering dark silver shadow on the creases of Leilani's eyelids. Next, she brushed a creamy, bright silver shadow directly over the lids. Once finished with that, she dipped a finger in the pink blush and used that on Leilani's brow bones, finishing the eye shadow. Leilani applied black eyeliner, smudging it softly, and black mascara. Alana handed her some clear gloss, perfecting the look.

Once finished with make up, Alana took the rollers out, and finger-combed Leilani's hair, leaving it in sexy, wispy waves. She then pulled a silver, rose-topped comb out of Leilani's hair supplies and pinned up the right side of Leilani's hair. The effect was stunning.

"Wow," Leilani said as she gazed in the full-length mirror.

"You haven't looked this good since prom six years ago."

"I've never looked this good," Leilani corrected, turning so that she could see herself from all angles.

"Ok. It's nine. We have to meet Ethan at the Hazelle Le Fleur Hotel at ten, so we'd better get going."

"Your cruiser or mine?"

"Need you ask?"

They trotted outside to Alana's waiting cruiser. It was a brand new X-Class Speedster from the now-Jupiter-based Jaguar Company. It was an ancient brand, and still spoke of luxury and performance, just as it had back on Earth centuries ago. It was silver, and looked as if it were made of liquid instead of solid metal. Leilani was sure that Alana could rattle off speed, horsepower, and mileage statistics on this beast in her sleep. She however, just knew that it went really fast in a really short distance.

On the drive to the hotel, they were stuck behind an enormous limousine and its entourage of heavily armored escort vehicles. Alana giddily speculated that it was the new ruler of Helion Prime. Leilani listened absent-mindedly as Alana went on the capricious rant regarding the new Helion Prime ruler's supposed good looks.

They reached the Hazelle Le Fleur and found Ethan waiting. He was quite striking, with a chiseled square jaw line, prominent yet handsome nose, and flashing, deep-set blue eyes the color of Helion Medialis's vibrant sky. Next to Alana, they formed an intimidating beautiful couple. Ethan paid the valet and escorted the two women inside, one on each arm.

"We'll certainly make a grand entrance," Ethan said as he produced his invitations. "I have on my arms two of Helion Medialis's most gorgeous women."

Once inside, Leilani allowed herself introductions to Ethan's symphonic elite social circle. The instant it was socially appropriate, she scooted over to the bar and ordered a classic Grey Goose on the rocks. She downed it with alarming speed and called for another before deciding to head over to the lounge, where she sat on a plush, comfortable-looking sofa.

When she attended such grandiose gatherings, Leilani liked to people-watch rather than mingle. Directly across from where she sat, the political cabinet of the Helion solar system stood engaged in a heated debate about piracy at the edge of the galaxy, illegal trade of their own endangered animal species to other worlds, and elections coming up next year. Their wives and escorts boredly sipped their wine while silently sizing each other up. She could just imagine the prattle going on in those tiny little brains. That one would be thinking of how last season the next one's dress was. Still the other one would be thinking of how obvious this one's boob job was. And then, the next one would be scoffing inside about how her sugar daddy just promised her ten thousand Helion galleons to spend so that she could outclass them all. Oh, how Leilani detested elitist socialites.

A few young painters stood off to their left, perusing sketches from one of their up-and-coming colleagues. They discussed technique, mediums, and colors, all while incorporating their "dates" politely into the conversation. She liked those kinds of artists. They weren't snobbish and close-lipped about their craft, and they certainly didn't like to gloat about their own phenomenal achievements with their work. Instead, they liked to share and gain insight into each other's work. This particular scene made Leilani smile.

She was just about to stand and go up to the bar to replenish her drink when from behind her, someone handed her a strong-smelling Grey Goose Martini. She looked up to see from whom she was accepting and met the goggled gaze of a ferally handsome, completely bald man in an obscenely expensive tuxedo. His movements and posture spoke of lethal, predatory grace quite accustomed to killing.

"Lady like you is dangerous to leave alone," he said on a baritone voice that sent chills flooding through her veins. Damn, he'd said less than ten words and she was already broken.

"I was merely people-watching," she managed to squeak.

"You came to this party to people watch? Then behold, the dregs of modern society. Here is where the worst crooks, scoundrels, and cons convene. Sadly enough, none of them have ever or will ever know the inside of the slam."

He took the liberty of sitting beside her. He wasn't a tall man, though he was beyond well-muscled. His tuxedo jacket was undone, and the white shirt beneath clung to his prominent pectorals in a damnedly intriguing fashion. He was intimidating, possessed an air of power and lethality that piqued animalistic urges within her she wasn't at all comfortable acknowledging. The alcohol didn't help either, and here he was, giving her more.

Leilani cleared her throat. "And you have?"

He regarded her with a curiously arrogant, yet seductive smirk. "I have. Many times."

She sipped at her drink, thankful that she could still feel the burn. She wasn't drunk enough yet to get into trouble. She still had her faculties well about her.

"Mmm. That's interesting. We haven't formally introduced ourselves. I'm Leilani Tejiri, freelance writer and painter, also known as a starving artist. And you are?" she gracefully said, extending her hand in pleasant greeting.

He took it in a firm grasp and brought it up to those perfectly kissable lips. "Richard B. Riddick, current reluctant ruler of Helion Prime, destructor of the Necromonger faith."

Leilani coughed as her breath caught in her throat with an unexpected gasp. He allowed her the hand back.

"You're—"

"I can't say that I'm glad you know who I am. I was hoping that I could mingle with people who didn't," he interrupted, sipping off his dark, cloudy drink. She guessed by the smell that it was an especially potent brew of Guinness. She caught a faint flash of silver from beneath his goggles and realized it was the color of his eyes. How peculiar...

"You'd have to go farther out in the galaxy to achieve that particular goal. But at least I can say that I had no idea what you looked like, and an only vague knowledge of what you'd done."

"Well said," he replied, toasting her with a tinkling "clink" as his glass met the rim of hers.

As they sipped, Leilani's eyes scoured the masses of suits and glamorous dresses for her silver-clad friend. She found her snogging Ethan in a distant, dark corner of the lobby. How convenient and typical. Now she'd have to fend him off on her own.

"You're nervous," he chuckled, leaning back in his seat and taking a sip off his beer. "I don't bite, and I've no intention of harming you. Who are you looking for?" he said when he'd swallowed his sip of Guinness.

"My friend. She's over there swallowing her date's face. And I'm not nervous, just a little bit tipsy."

"Maybe you should lay off the sauce, then."

She smiled at him, looked at her almost full glass, and with a devilish little glint in her eyes, brought it to her lips. She downed the whole thing in two seconds flat. His response was an incredibly sexy, absolutely evil grin.

"You can hold your booze, I see."

"Yeah, I don't take too kindly to orders."

"Wanna make a competition out of it?"

"Competitions have prizes to be won. What's your offer?" God, the alcohol was hitting her harder than she'd planned. She was outright asking for trouble now.

"Hmmm, I don't think you should have asked that," he said on a low growl, finishing his Guinness in much the same fashion as she had downed her martini.

"You're right. Any chance I can rescind that question?"

"I'm inclined to hold you to it, I think," he replied, quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh dear," she sighed, grabbing up one of the ice cubes and popping it in her mouth. She crunched on it for a few seconds before he responded.

"Shall we make this an official bet?"

"I thought gambling was illegal."

"Only if you're not a political leader of some sort."

At this, Leilani snorted. "Ain't that the fuckin' truth."

Riddick laughed at this. "So, what do I win when I drink you under the table?"

"Hmmm… See, the thing is, there's no safe answer to that question at this point."

"And why's that?"

"Oh you know why."

"Just humor me."

"No. Bad things happen when alcohol factors in."

At this, he suddenly shifted. It was almost as if he moved with preternatural speed. Or maybe it was the effects of the alcohol. Either way, he was suddenly very, very close to her, and it wasn't at all good. Or maybe it was a very good thing. He had this spicy, absolutely masculine, irresistibly enthralling scent that made her head reel. Or maybe that was the alcohol. Oh, how she very much hated being drunk.

"I tell you what," he started, his breath hitting her ear and neck in warm, chill-inducing puffs.  
"Yes?" she managed, her voice entirely too low and sexier than she'd intended. Dammit, he'd know she was aroused.

"We can—go upstairs to my suite and get some fresh air on the balcony, or we can stay here, stifled and confined by these bureaucratic stiffs and their two-faced politics."

He trailed a finger down her arm and grasped her hand with his.

"Well, when you say it like that," she gulped, "I'm inclined to do the first part."

"Follow me."

He hauled her off the sofa with uncanny, disorienting ease. When she stood, her eyes were slightly below level with his. She could feel everywhere her body touched his as if they weren't clothed. This could be very bad. Then again, this could be very good. As he led her towards the elevator, Leilani cast one wayward glance back at the lobby. She locked eyes with a staggeringly startled Alana before giving her a devilish grin and disappearing behind the swoosh of the elevator doors.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2: You Did WHAT?!**_

She wasn't quite sure just how she got here. She'd followed this insanely gorgeous man into the elevator. Allowed him to lead her into this ridiculously lavish suite. And now, she lay sprawled on the most comfortable bed in the universe, listening to him ordering something from room service. Why was she even doing this? This was something Alana did. It was _not_ something Leilani ever did. But then, was it really so bad to just let loose and do something crazy every once in a great while?

"It's nice, isn't it? A lot better than what I'm used to," Riddick said as he hung the phone back up. He eyed her much like a male lion eyes a wounded gazelle after going hungry for a week. It was quite disconcerting.

She couldn't move or protest when he lay next to her, then rolled so that one of his knees rested between hers, and he had a hand on either side of her shoulders. He had removed the pitch black goggles (_hahaha…_) and lowered his head so that his lips were merely a breath away. She heard him inhale deeply. He cocked his head to the side so that his lips were so very close to brushing her ear. Again, he inhaled deeply, taking in her scent in great huffs.

"What're you doing?" she shakily asked, feeling like a great monster had just pinned her down and was deciding just what he'd like to eat first.

"You smell—nice," he whispered on a sexy, low, rumbling sort of growl.

"Thanks, I guess. You smell—sexy."

"Thanks, I guess," he replied, teasingly nipping at her neck.

Leilani shuddered, unexpectedly loving the fact that he was doing this. She'd never been in this sort of situation with this sort of man before. It was kind of exciting. She idly wondered if this is what it was like for Alana. She could easily see how it could become an addiction.

He laughed, a deep rumble in his throat. "You're not the wild type, are you?"

"To be perfectly honest? I'd like to be," she candidly replied, slapping a hand over her mouth. God damn, she'd never fly with the grey geese again.

"Honest to a fault. Gonna have to break you of that," he growled, his tongue darting out and grazing her ear lobe. She watched his eyes travel to her breasts, and damned her body for being so easy to react. "Tell me, Lady Honesty, are you very much aroused?"

Wow, Leilani thought. This was definitely not what she expected at all. "I'd be lying if I said no. However, I will admit to being quite uncomfortable. What will you do with me when you're done with me? Toss me off the balcony? Break my neck and bury me?"

At this, Riddick threw back his head and laughed. "You're quite the comedian, kid. I like you. Actually, I was kind of hoping you'd do me a favor." He sat up, releasing her from his predatory hold. She sat up as well, carefully adjusting the dress so that it didn't reveal too much.

"What kind of favor?" she warily asked.

He drew an arm around her shoulders and pulled her so that her face was inches from his. "Kidnap me."

Leilani looked at him, absolutely dumbstruck. "K-Kidnap you? The new leader of Helion Prime?"

"Yup. That way, the Necros aren't trying to kill me at every turn, I don't have to listen to every god damned problem every person has and try to fix it, and I can go back to scoffing at politicians rather than being one."

Room service knocked at the door and delivered a pizza and another bottle of Grey Goose. She eyed the bottle warily.

"Um… I doubt anyone would believe that I managed to overpower you. This…This is preposterous," Leilani stuttered. She smoothed her hands over her hair. "Ok, let me get this straight. You want me to kidnap you—and just where will we go? I'm not too keen on just up and leaving. I like my life right now. I like this place, fucked up as it is and I—"

He kissed her soundly on the lips, pushing her back on the bed. When they both came up for air, her chest was heaving with her heavy breathing, and he was obviously wanting more.

"Where do I sign up?" she breathlessly asked.

"Atta girl," he said, moving to pick up a piece of the pizza he'd had delivered. He handed her a slice, which she gratefully took. It'd been a good twelve hours since she'd last eaten.

They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"I think I've got it," he said after they'd finished devouring the pizza. He poured some of the vodka into two shot glasses, handing one to her.

"Do tell," she said, not at all enthusiastically.

He nodded at her shot glass, lifted his own, and together, they downed the hard liquor in one gulp each. Riddick wiped his lips before continuing.

"You got a cruiser?"

"Not with me—I rode in tonight with my friend."

"So—she's got a cruiser?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll have to hotwire it."

"You'll _what_?" she asked. She guessed that by now she shouldn't be at all surprised. "Why don't we just ask her for the keys?"

It was his turn to be surprised. "She'd just—hand 'em over, like that?"

"Well, maybe if _you_ asked her."

He poured another shot for both himself and her. She took it, eyeing him warily.

"Do you think it's a good idea to keep drinking if we're going to be driving?" She couldn't believe she was actually considering going along with this harebrained, ridiculous scheme. It had to be the alcohol. Maybe she could convince him to wait until morning or something, that way things would make more sense and they could be more logical.

"You think too much," he said flatly, taking her shot and drinking it himself. "You're the type of woman who has to make sense of everything. Things don't always make sense. Act on your instincts once in a while, or do something wild."

She lay back on the bed, pondering this new information. How could they pull this off? Surely he had all sorts of guards on him. He was the ruler of a planet, after all. Security would be top priority on him. What would they do once they did escape? Where would they go? What would happen if they got caught?

Leilani was yanked from her thoughts by the smoldering caress of his lips on her neck. Oh, this wasn't good. But it felt good. How frustrating. This was where she always struggled. Her mind had a stranglehold on her feelings and just wouldn't let go for anything.

"See? This is what I'm talking about," he growled, his teeth grazing her ear. "It's so obvious what you're feeling, but you just won't let it go."

She closed her eyes and sighed, jumping a little as his hand slid over her thigh, pulling up her skirt clean to her hip. He whispered something in her ear, but the blood rushing through her head and the alcohol coursing through her veins impaired her ability to hear such soft things. She understood when he slid his hand up over her lower belly. He was asking permission.

"I don't—I can't—" she protested, feeling her string bikini underwear sliding down her hip a little under the careful guidance of his damnably hot hands.

"Want me to stop? Just tell me the truth about you," he whispered, his lips brushing her shoulder.

"For now. I thought I was kidnapping you," she said, shaking her head to clear it. Silly, your mind isn't an etch-a-sketch, she thought after doing it. Her head began to throb hotly.

He laughed, replacing the string of her underwear, though keeping his hand on her thigh when through.

"That's tomorrow, isn't it?"

"Tomorrow?" she asked, sighing again as he buried his face between her breasts, kissing his way up to her lips. Wow, he really knew how to work a woman over. He was starting to not make any sense at all.

"Your friend was pretty cozy with her boy toy. They'll be getting a room tonight. Probably won't be up before noon tomorrow. Wanna know how I know that, haha? We take the cruiser in the morning, head out to the orbital harbor, hi-jack a speeder capable of space travel, and get the hell off this rock. After that, I haven't quite got a plan."

"So—you need me, why?"

"You looked like you needed to be shown a good time."

"You're going to turn me into a criminal."

"We won't get caught unless we want to be.."

Leilani began coughing, disbelief racking not just her body, but her brain as well. This was turning into a wild sort of night. If she ever saw Alana again, she'd kill her for bringing her to this party. Now she was going to be coerced into eloping with a planetary leader who'd probably lost his marbles. And not just some of them, either. All of them. Every last one. If he ever had any to begin with.

"Wow. I think that I'm going to—go—now." She stood up, albeit unsteadily.

Before she could register anything, she was being dragged back to the bed. Lifted clean off her feet. He gently laid her down beneath him.

"Then I'm kidnapping you."

"Why—does it have to be kidnapping? This could be—you know, like a first date. With many to follow," she argued, intoxicated all over again by his cologne.

"I don't 'date'. I fucking hate leading people. I like doing things my way, without having to worry about whose life I'm fucking up by doing it."

"So name a new leader and renounce your throne," she whispered in response.

"The Necromongers can't come to power again. I won't let them. Understand?"

It was the first admission of responsibility he'd made all night. It was the only thing to which he was committed, besides exiting leadership. He had to keep the Necromongers from regaining power.

"Wouldn't it be easier for them to regain control if the kingdom was in an uproar over your disappearance?" she managed. Whew, the alcohol haze was beginning to clear.

He sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed, his torso twisted so that he could semi-face her.

"Not entirely. I have successors in place that they don't know about."

"Oh really?" she asked, stunned a bit by the celerity with which he answered that question.

"You're damned right. She doesn't know it yet. But I think the Necros will have quite the surprise when she comes to power."

"She?" Leilani asked, acutely aware that Riddick was pouring another round of shots for both of them. He kept his back to her so she couldn't entirely see everything he was doing. Was he putting _salt_ in their drinks? What the hell was going on here?

"Her name is Nejume. She's the wife of a priest to whom I owe my life. She'll make one hell of a Queen."

He handed her the shot, his silver eyes sparkling with a mischievous light. She grudgingly took it, slamming it before she set the empty glass down. He poured them another. They slammed them again. After a third shot, they resumed talking.

"Nejume becomes successor to the crown. I disappear. The Necros will be sweating since they won't be able to lay claim to my demise."

"I still don't see where I have to fit in."

"I want you."

Dizzy once more from the effects of the alcohol, Leilani began laughing. She couldn't stop. The whole situation was absolutely absurd. She collapsed back onto the bed, drawing her knees up to her chest. She was giggling like a schoolgirl at the madness of it all.

"You're drunk out of your mind," Riddick whispered by her ear, his arm sliding beneath her knees to keep them bent. His other arm went under her neck as he lifted her onto his lap. He cradled her like a child, his lips claiming hers.

A split second later, she felt the cold, hard blade of a keen knife against her throat.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she shrieked, scared out of her mind.

"You've played one hell of a charade tonight," he whispered.

"I don't have any clue what you're talking about," she countered, eyes wide in terror.

"I put sodium pentathol in your drink. Start talking."

He sat her up, keeping her arms pinned behind her back and the knife at her throat.

"Sodium pentathol? The truth serum shit?" she asked, feeling quite fuzzyheaded.

"Yep. Start talking. Who sent you? Was it Dame Vaako? Because she did a damn good job picking you to entice me. She's the only one capable of such a brilliant scheme. Get me to take the bait and run, let her know all my plans so that the Necros can take me out. Brilliant."

"Wow," Leilani slurred, feeling as though she was on the verge of blacking out. "I just came here with my friend Alana. She's dating this—musician—named Ethan. I didn't even want to come. And now, I'm gonna be killed by some psycho King on human growth hormone. God, I fucking hate my life."

Riddick tossed the knife across the room and started laughing. He couldn't help it. She was just too damned cute. And he knew she'd been telling the truth. She'd probably pass out soon from the alcohol and the "truth serum shit" as she'd called it. To think, he'd thought her a spy, due to the company she kept.

"Just so you know, before you pass out on me," Riddick started, laying her back on the bed. His voice held a serene, apologetic quality. "Ethan's not a cellist. He's a Necromonger purifier. He's also a spy. You really have bad timing and bad choices for friends. The thing is, now that you know what I plan on doing, I've gotta find a way to keep you quiet…"

Before she could listen to the rest of his rambling, Leilani succumbed to the welcoming blackness's friendly open arms.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Hightailin' It Out!

It was still dark outside when Leilani opened her eyes. Her stomach was roiling. Her head was spinning. She was sweating bullets. And, on top of all of that, she had no clue as to where the hell she was.

This wasn't her bed. It was much too nice. This wasn't her room. Again, the nice factor. Now if she could just figure out where the hell the bathroom was, she could get this hangover business done and over with.

Her head felt like a thousand jackhammers were going at her temples on high speed. She cursed the alcohol with her thoughts, swearing she'd never drink another drop so long as she lived.

Leilani tried to move and realized someone was on the bed with her. No, perhaps on wasn't the correct word. He was in it and he had a death grip on her with his arm wrapped around her waist.

That's when she realized she was naked.

"Oh God," she whispered as a shiver ripped through her. Her stomach wasn't going to wait for permission very much longer.

"What's wrong?" a groggy, deep, terribly sexy voice said next to her.

"I need—bathroom—now," she managed, scrambling to get out of the bed.

He released her and watched her half-walk, half-crawl into the bathroom.

Leilani vomited four times before she was able to regain complete consciousness. As she washed her mouth out and used her finger to brush her teeth, in the dark mind you, the light would have really done her in, realization of where she was and the memory of what happened last night slammed into her like a Mack truck on steroids. She groaned as she spat out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth.

"Ya gonna make it, champ?" a voice asked from behind her.

Leilani jumped at the sound of his voice and as a result, she almost fell over. Miraculously, he caught her and held her steady while she finished cleaning herself up and regaining her faculties. As she dried her face, he lifted her off her feet and carried her back to the bed.

"It's so dark. How can you see where you're going?"

"You managed just fine."

"I knocked over a chair and was on all fours most of the time."

"I know. I enjoyed the view."

Leilani sighed, then jumped as he caressed her belly with an open palm. He had her lying on top of him, her back to him, with his arms around her and his face buried in the curve between her neck and shoulder.

"This has been the wildest night. And you still didn't answer my question," she probed, thankful that for the most part, the alcohol was out of her system.

"You're like a pit bull on a bone, you know that? Ya just don't let go," he growled, nipping her neck after he said it.

"I just wanna know," she replied, swatting his hand away from her inner thigh.

He chuckled maliciously. "Oh, it's much too late for that. You're about as much of an animal as I am, baby."

Leilani was horrified. She tried to scramble away from him, but he held her fast.

"Just—what did we do? And I must say, you're quite the horrible ass taking advantage of me like that when I'm pretty sure I was passed out."

Riddick couldn't help it. He bust into laughter, holding her to him and rolling so that they were both on their sides in a spooning position. He stroked her belly with a familiarity that startled her. She was beginning to wonder just what exactly he did to her in her drunken slumber.

"We didn't do anything. I just wanted to see your reaction."

She squirmed to get out of his grip, but he laughingly held her to him. He kept chuckling as she spat curses at him and tried to kick her way away from him.

"Easy little girl. We gotta get ready to go."

Leilani quit struggling for a moment. "You're serious."

"As a heart attack," Riddick replied right next to her ear. He shifted, and a second later, she felt a blade trail softly down her spine.

Leilani shivered as he pointed the tip of the blade into her skin, just above her hips at the base of her spine.

"The sweet spot," he whispered. "See, all ya gotta do is one good jab," he mimicked a stab, carefully not letting the knife touch her skin again, "and they bleed like a stuck pig. Dead in minutes. Unsalvageable. Beautiful."

"So why are you telling me that?" Leilani asked, oddly unafraid even in the vulnerable position he had her.

"It's knowledge you're going to need in order to keep company with me."

Leilani turned her head to look him in the eyes. "Let me ask you again. Why me?"

Riddick smiled and leaned in closer so that his face was barely an inch away from hers. "Let me say again. You looked like you needed to be shown a good time. C'mon. Time to go."

He hauled her out of the bed, always staying in close contact. Leilani had the fleeting vague impression it was almost as if he was showing her that he owned her. Oddly enough, it wasn't a feeling she completely disliked at the moment. She reserved the right to change her mind later, should the situation call for it.

He drew his goggles down and turned on the lights. Leilani realized too late that she stood in full view, naked for his viewing pleasure. She covered herself with her arms, searching desperately for the dress she'd been wearing when she first came into this damn hotel room.

Riddick laughed and tossed her some very plush workout pants and a hooded sweatshirt. They were made from a velour cotton mix that was very, very soft. She was still lacking underwear.

"So, where did you put my—"

He smiled viciously as he pulled his own pants on over the boxers he'd donned while she was surveying the room for her undergarments. She wasn't aware that she was staring. She couldn't help it. He was practically a god personified.

"I need underwear. I'm not going—"

"Commando? Why not?"

Leilani walked over to the closet next to which he stood. Lying in a crumpled heap on the floor was the dress she wore last night. Under it rested her shoes. No underwear, though. She looked up and found him watching her with a predatory light.

"I like to keep—mmmm—souvenirs of my conquests," he said, quirking his eyebrows.

"Can you keep them later when I don't need them?" Leilani asked, more than a titch peeved. Her eyes flashed, though there was a peculiar, quirky little grin on her face.

He couldn't help but bust out laughing again. She always had a comeback of some sort. She was a smart ass, though oddly innocent about it. It was a mixture to which he was quite attracted. She was lean, though sturdy. He was attracted to women whom he didn't have to fear breaking should he play a little too roughly. She looked like she could withstand his special brand of playtime.

Riddick reached into his pocket and pulled out her bra.

"This was the only thing that made it. When I went to take your underwear off, I ripped it. You're gonna have to go commando."

Leilani snatched the bra from him and quickly donned it, along with the rest of her attire. The hoodie zipped in the front, and as she was bringing it up, Riddick stopped it.

"Leave it open a little bit," he growled.

Leilani defiantly shoved his hand away and jerked the zipper up to her throat. "I'm going to make one thing perfectly clear. I'm not your harlot. I'm not here for you to just peruse at your leisure. Continue trying to make it so, and I'll do everything in my power to sabotage your little insane mission," she snapped, her eyes flashing.

Riddick smiled, though he did not laugh. Her eyes held a ferocity that left no question as to just how serious this threat was. He may have crossed the line now, but he had no doubts that she'd move that line later and allow him to make her just that: his harlot, as she so eloquently put it. His and his alone, mind you. Riddick was never one for sharing.

"We've gotta go," he said brusquely, shouldering his pack and inclining his head toward the door.

"What's the plan?" Leilani defeatedly asked, walking towards the door as he shut off the lights.

"We're going to get on the elevator. From there, just follow my lead."

Leilani followed him out the door towards the elevator. Two muscle-bound guards stood outside and shadowed them until they hit the elevator doors. Once the doors had closed and they'd dropped a few floors, Riddick hit the emergency stop button on the elevator. In the same motion, he disabled the cameras on the inside of the small space and killed the lights.

"Oh dear Father, I'm going to die," Leilani whispered as Riddick threw open the escape hatch on the top of the elevator.

He threw his pack through the opening, and then vaulted himself through. Leilani needed no prodding as she stepped under the hole in the elevator ceiling and held up her arms. Riddick yanked her up and through the ceiling so that now both of them stood on top of the elevator.

"I disabled the panel. They're going to think the elevator stopped on this floor to pick up someone. In two minutes, it will reach the ground floor. After that, it will take the guards about ten minutes to search this whole damn place and find us. The clock starts now. Climb after me," Riddick briefed her, throwing his pack onto the ledge above where the elevator had stopped.

Leilani jumped after he did, hanging onto the same ledge as the elevator started in motion again. It kept going down and away from them, disappearing into the chasm with a whispering swoosh. She didn't even want to wrap her beleaguered brain around exactly how long of a fall it would be if she slipped.

Riddick climbed down and pushed a button that opened the doors to the floor where their elevator had been stopped seconds earlier. He swung himself through, pack in hand. Leilani clambered over to the doorway and swung herself through. Riddick just now realized that she only wore socks.

"We'll stop and get you shoes before we head out to deep space," he said dryly, dragging her towards the stairs and elevator service hallway.

He peered over the railing, checking to make sure no one would see them. The coast was clear.

"Where is your friend's car parked?" he asked as they jogged down the steps.

"I think the valet said parking section B," she replied, out of breath.

"Finally, a stroke of luck," he growled, shouldering a door to their right open. On the door jamb in bright red letters was a big "B" next to a parking symbol.

Leilani took the lead and was quick to find the silver speedster of which Alana was so fond. Realization dawned on her. Alana wouldn't have the keys—the valet would. She left Riddick at the car and flagged down the kid who'd just freshly come on duty.

"Silver Jaguar, slot 9," Leilani said to him.

He handed over the keys without even asking for her ID. If only stealing a car was this easy every day, she thought to herself as she jogged back to where Riddick stood. His expression was a mixture of shock, disbelief, and evil mischief.

"That was too fucking easy," he laughed as she disengaged the locks and handed the keys over to him.

"Let's get out of here before he realizes his mistake," Leilani panted, slipping into the passenger's seat.

Riddick threw his pack into the backseat and started the cruiser. It roared to life, drawing a wicked smile across Riddick's lips.

"Your friend Alana is ok. Ever consider a threesome?" he asked as he put the speeder in gear and flew out of the parking ramp onto the nearly deserted highway.

"Not on your life, chump," Leilani barked, fastening her harness. This was not going to be a sane trip by any means. She was proved right as he sped onto the highway, slamming both of them back hard into their seats.

Riddick just laughed and slipped through the gears, breaking the speed limit by double in his haste to reach the docks.

"Just how are we going to commandeer a ship?" Leilani asked a few minutes later as they reached the exit for the harbor. She had a white-knuckle grip on the "oh shit" handle above her head.

"I'm working on that part still," Riddick snipped, not looking over at her.

"Great," she sighed, closing her eyes.

"You gonna puke again?" he asked, his voice as unconcerned as it could possibly have been.

"Nope," she hastily replied. "Just wanna kill myself."

"You don't mean it," he said as he parked the speeder next to a seemingly abandoned catamaran-style cruiser. "But I think this is our girl right here."

"What do you want me to do?" Leilani queried, her voice weary.

"Sit tight. I'll be right back."

Leilani watched as he clambered out of the car and silently strode around the ship, searching for a captain or crewmembers. He disappeared for a few moments, which just might have been the most nerve-racking minutes of Leilani's life to date. She just knew the harbormaster would show up and see them. Then, she'd be hauled off to jail for just associating with this rogue leader.

Riddick appeared again several minutes later, a broad, devilish grin on his face. An absolutely terrifying, feral glint sparkled in his eyes. He was breathing heavily, not from exertion perhaps, but from the thrill of the hunt. There was blood on his hands.

Leilani paled.

"No I didn't kill anyone. There's a butcher freighter on the other side. I accidentally put my hand on a barrel I shouldn't have."

Leilani snorted her disapproval, knowing full well what he had done. "What the eff ever."

He laughed. "Just say fuck. Eff is boring."

She tossed him the pack and left the cruiser, its keys still in the ignition. As she rounded the stern of the ship, she saw six hands poking out from under a heap of garbage. No doubt Riddick's handiwork. It started the wheels of doubt to turning. If he could dispose of these three men without so much as a sound or second thought of conscience—what could he and _would_ he do to her when he had no more need of her?

Riddick watched her from the top deck of the ship. She was an astute observer. There wasn't much she missed. She knew he'd killed those men. He could use her keen eyes. She'd make a great scout.

As her gaze met his, he saw something that hit a chord in him no one had ever hit before. There was fear there. Fear of him—something he wasn't at all unaccustomed to, though it was something that until this moment she'd never displayed. He didn't want her to fear him. At least, not to the degree at which her expression registered. It was borderline terrified, that look in her eyes. He held out his hand, wiped clean on a deck cloth left on the railing.

"Don't be afraid of me, Leilani. Your fate will never be theirs. Not by my hand, and not by any others while I'm still standing."

It was all he needed to say.

She kept walking up the landing and finally stepped onto the ship.

"Let's move. We've gotta beat the sun."

"Why?" she asked as she followed him into the cockpit. She sat next to him in the copilot's chair.

"I can't see very well in bright sunlight."

"Ok—but—"

"I'll tell you later. Strap in. No more questions til we hit hyper drive and are out of planetary missile range."

Leilani did as she was told and zipped her lips, not wanting to anger him. Though his earlier words had dispelled her worst fears of him, there still was a great amount of worry in the back of her mind regarding his intentions and the speed at which he could possibly change his mind.

They floated easily out of the harbor and into the sky. As soon as he was able, he slammed on the accelerator to punch them out of planetary orbit. Once they'd jumped out of orbit, he set the hyper drive coordinates and away they went.

"You've done this before," Leilani softly said as the stars blurred past them in a dizzying array of colors.

"Many a time," he replied in the same soft tone, watching as the universe whirled by. "Shined. I had my eyes shined."

Leilani looked over at him, realizing he was answering her previous question. "I've never heard of that."

Riddick chuckled. "You haven't heard of much, kid."

She blushed, not wanting to seem so naïve. She had no idea that it was her innocence that so potently attracted him.

"It's a procedure in dark slams. They keep ya locked up in pitch black darkness with the worst scum bags of the universe. Creeps who'll gut ya for the sake of using your intestines for shoe laces. I've got no use for them. So, paid a doc for the procedure, and I'm solid. No one sneakin' up on Richard B."

She listened as he explained in further detail about his time in that slam and many others. He told her about how he escaped an abandoned, desolate planet once before. He actually got a little choked up about it. Leilani had a feeling he was leaving out details, but she decided it best that she not pry.

After he told her the story of his rise to power over Helion Prime, he grew silent. She processed the new information, using it as a means to gain valuable insight into the man they called Riddick. Yes, he was a criminal—though it seemed that the events of his life had forced him in that direction. It was hard to hold a grudge against him when she understood his background and knew of his experiences throughout his life.

"Alright, kid. Let's go strap in for cryo sleep," he said on a weary sigh.

"You don't like cryo sleep."

He hadn't ever said it, though she gathered it from his demeanor.

"I hate it."

"Me too."

"C'mon," he extended his hand and hauled her to her feet. "You're sleeping in the same pod."

"How did I know that?" she scoffed, following him to the cryo bay.

He just chuckled and helped her in. Within minutes, they were soundly knocked out, and the ship sped on autopilot to wherever the hell it was Riddick had decided to go. Not that Leilani was worried about it. Where they went didn't matter half as much as what he did with and to her on the way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Silver Eyes**

Leilani had the vague feeling of floating. Weightless. Like she was a feather wafting along on a serene, warm summer breeze. She could hear her own breathing, her own heartbeat. She could also hear someone else's breathing, and someone else's heartbeat.

Her eyes popped open and she found herself in the dark. It was cold. A milky-white mist swirled around her. Around them. She could feel his arms around her. Her own hands rested against the hard planes of his chest. He was snoring, she thought, as he emitted a low, grumbling noise.

No, maybe not snoring. Growling was a more appropriate word.

"What are you doing awake?" he rasped, holding her more tightly to him.

"I—I honestly don't know. I just—woke up," she replied, her throat painfully dry.

"I'm upping the dosage. Go back to sleep. We've got a long while yet."

"Wait a minute," she gasped, keeping his hand from punching the button and dispensing the sleeping agent. "Why are you awake?"

"I'm not," he growled. "The animal is."

This statement perplexed her. She moved to argue but his eyes flashed before her. His lips curled back in a snarl. She could swear his teeth had turned to fangs, but she admittedly had an overactive imagination when the situation called for it. It was why she was a writer in the first place.

"Trust me—you don't want to deal with the animal," he growled, a ferocious, menacing sound that swiftly quelled any arguing on her part.

She watched silently as he punched the button. Within seconds, she'd drifted back off to cryo-sleep.

That feeling surfaced again. She felt as if she were resting on a cloudbank that was climbing perpetually higher. That weightless feeling again, where she could float as high as she wanted. Her awareness gradually returned. Again, she could feel her heartbeat and her breathing returning from its deathly lethargic pace to normal. She could hear his again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry—I'll try to go back," she whispered, fighting the awakening for fear that she'd have to deal with "the animal".

"Go back where? C'mon, wake up. We're almost there."

Leilani opened her eyes and met his silver gaze. He never lost that predatory aura, though she was quite sure that whatever she'd seen in them when she'd accidentally woke before was now buried beneath the surface. The ship's hold was still dark. The cryo mist still swirled around them.

"Have you ever been in cryo-sleep?" he asked, holding her more tightly to him, his gaze intensifying.

"No. I've never traveled off Helion Medialis, actually," she shakily replied.

He grunted, releasing his hold enough to let her breathe better. His eyes never left hers. It was if he was studying her, trying to figure something out, as if she were some sort of intriguingly difficult puzzle he was hell-bent on solving.

She inhaled, about to say something, when his mouth was on hers. It was a kiss like he'd given her before in the hotel suite. Commanding. Dominant. Hot. She couldn't help but respond. As the cryo mist dissipated, he unzipped the jacket and lifted her up, pressing her body against the chamber, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist. He buried his face between her breasts, holding her arms above her head with one hand while unclasping the bra with the other.

Just as he was about to expose her breasts, the ship shuddered out of hyper drive, nearly forcing them to the floor. She landed on top of him. With her faculties returning, she was quick to stand. He followed, pushing her back against the cryo chamber walls, pinning her arms to her sides. His breath was heavy with restraint. He was holding himself back. From what? Ravaging her? Killing her? What exactly was he holding back? The animal she'd previously met?

To her surprise, he pulled her to him, reached around her back, and re-clasped the bra. He allowed her to zip up the jacket again before he took a seat in the pilot's chair. He began punching at buttons and adjusting dials, the ship responding with each of his actions.

Taking his silence as indication to leave him alone, she walked about the hull in the instrument panel's dim, neon lights. She looked out the windows, seeing asteroids all around them.

Riddick was busy maneuvering the small ship so that they didn't hit any of the big ones. The smaller ones simply bounced off the ship's thick hull, not even leaving so much as a dent. In fact, most simply disintegrated upon impact in small little puffs of icy dust.

"Where are we?" she asked after a moment.

"Headed for the Milky Way."

"The Milky Way? Their sun burnt out five hundred years ago. There's nothing-"

"I know where we're going."

Leilani sat in the co-pilot's chair with a small sigh. Resignation or indignation, she didn't know, but she sighed all the same. She watched as he swerved every now and again, the field getting thicker. After a few tense moments and near misses, it thinned out again.

Up ahead, to her utter amazement, bright light split the blackness. Riddick slid his goggles over his eyes and smiled.

"You see, the problem with intergalactic communication is that it's slow. People from Earth and Venus relit their sun with a nuclear bomb nearly two hundred years ago. The news just hadn't been important enough to extend to Helion Medialis. In fact, no one past the Milky Way really knows. They'd like to keep it that way. Keeps their system less crowded," Riddick replied, guiding the ship towards an especially large red planet.

"Mars?" she queried.

"Yep. Two hours on full thrust and we'll be in orbit. I've got some friends here I'd like to drop in on," he replied, his tone not at all friendly as he slammed the throttle down. He set the ship's autopilot and sat back, looking out the windows, his face away from the sun.

The ship lurched and went back to full throttle, space whirling by in black, white, red, and blue streaks. Leilani watched in sullen silence, feeling very alone and very cold. She wondered what Alana had done when she'd found her car stolen and her friend gone. She wondered what her family would do now that she was gone. She wondered what her life would be like now that she'd run away with this man on a whim. Well, maybe not just a whim.

It wasn't like she'd had a choice. She remembered what he'd said before she lost consciousness. He'd have to find a way to keep her quiet. This was how he was keeping her quiet

She was snapped from her own little world by the sound of his voice.

"How can you hate cryo-sleep if you've never done it before?"

"It's something new—who doesn't hate something new and scary?" she defended, not looking over at him and pretending to be immensely interested in the goings on outside.

He stood and walked to the rear of the ship where the food supplies were. "C'mon. You need to eat."

Leilani begrudgingly got up and walked back to the mess bay. Riddick had already started cooking something on the small gas range. He was standing so that she couldn't see what it was, but it didn't matter. It smelled good.

"You woke up from cryo-sleep."

"Twice. Once by accident. No big deal."

Riddick turned to face her, keeping one eye on the pan. "It is a big deal. No one wakes up early from cryo-sleep. No normal person, anyway."

"Then you're saying you're not human? You told me the animal was awake. What did you mean by that?"

He turned away at this question, busying himself with turning whatever was in the pan.

"Riddick?"

"It's not a big deal. Just part of who I am. Love it or hate it, it's not going anywhere."

"Fair enough, I guess," Leilani replied, opening the refrigerator to scope what sort of drinks there might be. She was severely dehydrated, as evidenced by her sore muscles and their sluggish reactions. Her mouth felt like she'd swallowed a bag of cotton balls mixed with marshmallows. And she was very cold.

A row of fruit-flavored waters greeted her thirsty eyes from the top shelf. She pulled one out for herself and one for Riddick before scoping out the rest of the refrigerator's contents. Some MRE's advertising tuna and chicken casserole sat behind the waters. There were some vacuum-sealed steaks stacked in ample amounts on the second shelf, next to several rows of various canned vegetables. She guessed that Riddick had snatched up one of the steaks. An excellent choice in her eyes. She snatched one for herself and grabbed a can of corn.

"Here," she said, proffering one of the bottles of water.

He took it, nodding his thanks, and flipping what she was sure was a steak. He took hers out of her hand, zipped it open and tossed it in the pan next to his. She moved around behind him and took a look through the cupboards to his left. She found plates, bowls and glasses in one, and pots and pans in the one below it. She pulled out one of the smaller saucepans and took a burner, popping the can of corn open and slopping the golden kernels into it. Once that was going, she popped the top on her water and drank the whole bottle within a few seconds.

"Take it easy. I know your body is dying of thirst, but if you don't rehydrate slow, you're gonna pay for it later."

Leilani nodded and went to the fridge for another bottle of water. "I'm not a horse that's been starved, Riddick. I'm not going to gorge."

"Better not. Wouldn't want that beautiful flat stomach to pop out."

"Well at least now I know you're not going to enslave me to have your children," she snidely commented, moving back to the stove to check on the corn. "Do we have potatoes?"

"Meat and potatoes girl. Gotta love that," Riddick growled, pointing to the cabinet above her head on her side of the stove. He watched her stretch and pull the box of dried potato flakes down. "When we stop, we'll get you some new clothes."

She turned to look at him. "And shoes too."

Riddick looked down at her feet then back up at her. "We didn't have time."

"I know. You were too busy killing."

She hadn't meant it to sting, but it did nonetheless.

"When you've—"

"I'm not judging you, Riddick," Leilani said with a simple, understanding sort of smile. She shrugged and went back to preparing the potatoes in a large bowl, opting to use the microwave to the right of the range as her cooking medium.

Riddick watched her, baffled by her response. She'd known he'd killed those men—in cold blood even—and still she wasn't judging him? She should be terrified of him. Especially after that incident in the cryo-chamber. No, he'd never have killed her, even with his untamed, animalistic, Furyan side out in full force—unchecked. All he would have done is branded Leilani as his own little plaything.

Which, ironically enough, was something the human side in him just didn't have the stones to do right now. Yeah, he'd love nothing more than to toss around the hold with her, naked and committing absolutely unspeakable acts of ravenous lust. It was how he was. He caved to that animalistic side more often than even he himself liked to admit. He held back on her for some reason.

For what though? He'd done his fair share of rookies, tallying up an obscene number of virginal conquests. He'd done even more with more experienced women. Then again, none of them had really been anything more than toys, and they knew it. They played the part. Leilani—she conducted herself in a manner that taciturnly demanded respect. Even though he was pretty sure she wasn't aware of it, she'd commanded his respect. Perhaps it was because he also commanded hers?

"What are you so lost about?" Leilani said, waving a spoon in front of his vacant stare.

"Just planning."

"Am I staying on the ship while you pay your little friends a nice little visit?" she asked, "Or am I free to meander about so long as I pay attention to a curfew?"

Riddick laughed. He liked how she put things. She made her intentions known all the while honoring what she knew his expectations to be. She was intuitive, intelligent, and innocently cunning. He knew he'd have to watch it with her. She had an eye for detail that almost made him nervous.

"So long as you don't stray too far from the ship and get back when I say so," he replied.

Just then, the ship's instrument panel lit up and started beeping. He jogged over to the cockpit and began pushing buttons. He backed off the throttle quite a bit, only going about half speed.

"That explains a lot," he said as he returned to the kitchen a moment later.

"What about?" Leilani asked, removing their steaks from the pan and depositing them on plates.

"This ship shudders a lot in hyper drive. Her engines are long overdue for an overhaul. We'll have to wait til the cores cool off a little bit before we can gun it for Mars. Might have to spend overnight in the docks before I can conduct business."

Leilani rolled her eyes. "I'm not sleeping in the cryo-chamber with you again."

"We aren't sleeping in the cryo-chamber. There's bunks."

"Bunks. Plural. So I can—"

"We'll shove two together."

"But what if I—"

"You're not arguing, are you? Good. I didn't think so."

Leilani sighed. The microwave timer dinged, and she tended to the nuked mashed potatoes. Riddick spooned half of the corn onto his plate, and half onto hers. She did the same with the potatoes. Together, they went back into the cockpit and ate.

"You're just making sure I don't slink off in the night, aren't you?" Leilani said after they'd eaten most of their meal in silence.

"Partially."

"Partially?"

"You do realize that at some point, I'm going to fuck you."

Leilani coughed on the spoonful of potatoes she'd just shoveled into her mouth. She took a swig of her water to help get it down before replying.

"You'll fuck me only when I want you to. And buddy, that ain't gonna be anytime soon," she saucily replied, cutting a chunk of her steak off and tearing into it with a gusto of which any man would've been proud.

"Do you always eat your meat so raw?" he asked.

She quirked an eyebrow at this, wondering just what kind of trap he was laying for her. Surely his next remark would be something crude.

"Why?"

"It isn't healthy."

"I'm still alive."

At this, Riddick nodded. "Which answers my question. A simple 'yes' would have sufficed."

"Then yes. Although, I wouldn't put it past you to hit me with some cheesy, crude punch line about taking my meat raw."

Riddick laughed. "Didn't have to. You just did it for me."

Leilani flicked a piece of corn at him, hitting him square on the cheek. He laughed and went back to eating, satisfied that he'd barbed her.

"How long have we been gone?" she asked after a few moments.

"I don't think you really want to know the answer to that question."

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have asked."

"Well, you've officially been in my company for about a month now. Sad, but of that month, you've only been awake for three days."

"So have you."

"I was awake the whole time. Just in an—altered state."

Leilani stood, her plate empty and walked back towards the mess bay. She rinsed her plate and utensils off, followed closely by Riddick. Ignoring him, she set to touring the ship, walking out of the mess area and into the engine room. It was extremely hot in here. He hadn't been kidding when he said the engines were overheating. She wanted to stay here and let the heat chase away the chill through her body that seemed to be getting worse, but she wanted desperately to take a shower. She proceeded from there further aft, as this particular ship's engines were located at midship, and into the crew's quarters.

She realized then that it had been a mistake. Riddick was right behind her, just waiting for her to get near a bunk.

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked, trying to find a way out of this predicament.

He pointed to the left at a narrow hallway.

"I'm a big girl. I can go by myself," she saucily stated, making her way towards the bathroom. To her amazement, he did not follow.

Grateful, she took the opportunity to be away from him, with a locked door in between. She set about to cleaning up. Cryo-sleep slowed the body's functions down to deathlike state. She hadn't showered in a month, and she was becoming all too aware of her own odor.

She looked over the shower set up and was thankful to find that there wasn't just a free-standing stall, there was also a tub. She grabbed the liquid, manly-scented body wash from beneath the sink and proceeded over to the tub. She poured in a copious amount of the soap and started the water, ignoring the knock on the door.

"You know, you're not the only one here who has to use the facilities," Riddick hollered from the other side.

"I know. But I need girly alone time."

"Let me take a piss and I'll leave you alone."

Leilani laughed. "I'm not stupid Riddick."

"I asked nicely. Don't make me break down this door."

"I'm quite sure you're more than capable of picking that lock. No need to bust a perfectly good door," she hotly replied, testing the water's temperature. She waited until she heard his footsteps fade before she stripped down and lowered herself into the hot water.

She'd almost forgotten he was there when she heard the slight tinkling noise of the door lock being tampered. Smiling to herself she slipped beneath the surface of the bubbles, holding her breath until she heard the door open. She came back up and found him standing over her, holding the bottle of body wash.

"No. Sleeping next to you I can handle. You are _not_ washing me."

"Relax, half pint, and keep your fantasies to yourself. I was just reading the label."

With that, he set the bottle down, and without so much as a second glance back, he went to the toilet and took his piss. She disappeared under the water again, thankful for effect of the heat on her muscles. When she came back up, he was sitting next to the tub. He handed her a feminine version of the body wash that he must have rummaged up, along with shampoo and conditioner.

"There was a woman on this crew. And no, I didn't kill her. I let her get away."

He said nothing else and walked out of the bathroom. Stunned, she grabbed the body wash and used it. After a month's neglect, her hair looked like crap. And her legs were in dire need of a shave. She stepped out of the tub momentarily to look for a razor and shaving cream. She didn't have to look long, and returned to the tub, razor in hand. She proceeded to reclaim her feminine identity. After another half hour or so soaking in the beautifully warm water, she emptied the tub. She immediately turned on the shower and rinsed off, taking the opportunity to wash and condition her neglected hair.

Once done, she stepped out of the shower and found that Riddick had laid out towels and fresh clothes for her. She wrapped herself in one of the towels and proceeded to use the lotion she found on her legs. She was just about finished when Riddick entered, sans clothing save the towel around his waist. He wordlessly stepped into the stall and shed the towel, not displaying any modesty. He turned on the shower and shut the door.

Leilani was perturbed by his sudden sullenness, though she wasn't going to complain. She grabbed her clothes and went into the bunk rooms, looking for two bunks put together. She found none—only two separate bunks with the sheets turned down. Smiling, she took it upon herself to put them together and link the sheets in such a fashion that it looked like a queen-sized bed. She donned the tee and shorts he'd brought her and crawled into the bed, her head still wrapped in the towel.

A few moments later, she heard the water turn off. She sighed and removed the towel from her hair, waiting for him. She heard the sink turn on, and guessed that he must be shaving his head. He'd gotten stubbly, and she knew from his previous appearance back on Helion Medialis that he preferred to keep it shaved.

Leilani allowed sleep to overtake her before Riddick appeared in the bedroom. He was confounded at finding that she'd shoved the two beds together. He'd thought she'd really wanted to sleep by herself. He was willing to give her at least that much dignity for the night. And here she was, making it quite obvious that she'd relinquished that dignity—or at least, maybe, there was the off chance that she _wanted_ to sleep next to him. He guessed it made sense. She'd slept in his arms for a month prior. Why would she stop now?

He listened to her breathing, trying to determine if she was really asleep or just playing opossum. After a few seconds, he knew she was truthfully slumbering. He couldn't allow her to go to sleep without more water, though. She had to drink, or there would be hell to pay once they woke up in the morning.

He went back to the kitchen area and grabbed a bottle of water for each of them. When he came back, she'd woken up and was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I thought you'd gone someplace else to sleep," she laughed, her tone nervous.

"You didn't want that?" he asked softly, handing her the bottle he'd brought for her.

"Not really. Kinda used to it at this point, you know?" she sheepishly replied, cracking the bottle open and drinking slowly.

He followed suit. "I'm going to anchor here for the night. I don't want to be detected before I'm able to counter attack."

Leilani's eyes grew wide at this, though she nodded agreement. He looked her over, noting that she'd shaved, breathing in the soft, sweet floral scent of the soap she'd used. It meshed well with her chemistry, almost producing a heady effect.

"I'll be right back," he said before turning and going.

Riddick went up to the cockpit and stopped the engines. He engaged the stationary hover drive and brought up the ship's defense shields. If so much as anything larger than a small asteroid came within a 10 mile radius, the alarms would go off.

He returned to find her just as she'd left her, slowly sipping her water. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame.

"You confuse me," he said at last. "Typical woman."

At this, Leilani laughed. "I'm anything but, and you know it."

"No, really. You're so adamant about getting away, I give you the chance, and then you just—"

"Shut up. I'm tired. You're tired. Let's go to sleep," she said, finishing off the last of her water and tossing the bottle onto one of the unoccupied bunks.

Riddick smiled. "Now you're speaking my language."

He hopped into the bed next to her, dragging her body against his, tossing his own empty bottle onto the same bunk as hers. She was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

"You just wait," he whispered. "Your time's comin' sweetheart."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Red Planet Arrival

Riddick woke merely four hours later, the animal within restless and threatening to break out of control. It wanted one thing, and the increasingly powerful human side just couldn't bring him to do it. He kept his arm draped over her sleeping form, breathing deep the sweet scent of her freshly cleaned skin and stroking his fingers through her soft hair. She stirred as his fingers got tangled in a snarl at the end of a particularly curly lock. She tried to move, but his grip tightened around her like a boa on its prey.

Leilani fought the panic rising in her to start thrashing against him and fight with every ounce of her being. His grip loosened a minute amount and his breath came in tepid, thrilling puffs on the back of her neck. Chills broke out then, rocketing up and down her spine until she trembled.

"Are you that afraid of me?" he whispered, brushing his lips across her neck as he spoke, an intimate gesture that only started more chills.

"No. I d-d-don't know," she whispered, her teeth chattering.

He held her closer, seeing the goose bumps breaking out all over her body. Her teeth chattered, a sound that for some odd reason had always turned him on. But another emotion began taking over the lust. It was fear. This was not a good reaction. These weren't normal, lusty, anticipatory chills. Her body temperature was plummeting even as he held her to him.

Riddick sat up, taking her with him. Her lips were turning blue. Realization dawned in his eyes and he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bathroom.

"Riddick, what are you—"

"You never went into cryo-sleep before. I shouldn't have pulled you out of it so fast. This is an adverse reaction rookies have sometimes. When their body shuts down to normal sleep," he was explaining this as he drew hot water in the tub, "after coming out of cryo-sleep, sometimes, it tries to revert back into that stasis. When you try to bring them out of it again, the body goes into shock—hypothermic shock."

Leilani gasped as he lowered her into the tub of unbearably hot water. He climbed in with her, cupping the water and sluicing it over her. He wrapped his legs around her, using his own body heat to warm her up.

He kept cupping the water and washing it over her for another fifteen minutes until her color returned and her shivering subsided. She relaxed against him, her eyelids heavy from the powerful sedative effect of the warmth. Every muscle churned with warmth as her body regulated itself.

"You ready now?" he asked her, still cupping the water and dumping it down her arms and chest.

Her head lolled back and rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed loosely, giving him a painfully enticing view of her neck, chest, and belly. Her nearly translucent white tee clung to her body like a second skin, doing very little to hide the true color and shape of her anatomy, while at the same time, exciting him to an excruciating level.

"I'm so tired," she whispered after a few moments, unable to control her muscles any longer.

She sagged against him, her breathing deep and even. She was absolutely, unbelievably, beautifully relaxed. He could hardly control himself anymore

He slid his hands down her torso, drawing her fully onto his lap. He sank his teeth into the top of her shoulder lightly, just enough to get her attention and open her eyes a bit.

"You tempt me sorely," he menacingly growled, tugging her shirt off over her head.

He made quick work of her bra, tossing it haphazardly into the water. He continued cupping the water and splashing it over her naked torso. All that remained were the boxers she'd snatched from him before she laid down.

"I don't mean to tempt you," she slowly whispered, extremely lethargic and sleepy. He could tell she spoke the truth.

Riddick closed his eyes tightly and ground his teeth together. He couldn't take her like this. He wanted her to want him to do it. He wanted her to come on to him just as strong. He wanted the lust to be mutual. And damn him, he'd die getting her to want him if he had to.

He gently scooped her close to him, turning her so that she was cradled in his arms like a small child. Riddick gathered his legs beneath him and stood slowly, keeping her close to him. She whimpered softly as he stepped towards the sleeping quarters again. Riddick cradled her closer, rubbing her arms as he walked.

He had to curb his animalistic inclinations right now and put his self control to the utmost test. Right now, what she needed was to be kept warm. Having a bit of Furyan in her was not going to keep her warm enough. Ravaging her in this state would almost kill her. That was exactly what he _didn't_ want to do.

Riddick stood her up and finished stripping her. She began shivering again. He snatched two thick blankets off two other beds and wrapped them around her. He frenetically rubbed the blankets against her, boosting her circulation into overdrive. After a few moments, he led her back to the bed, throwing the blankets over both of them and holding her against him.

"Sleep now, ok? You're out of the woods for now," he softly growled, stroking her damp hair as he held her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"For what? Not like you could control it."

"Don't—please—don't kill me," she said in a tone that was even softer than a whisper. It was more of a sigh.

Riddick crushed her to him and kissed her neck. "What makes you think that? I'd never kill you—unless you tried to kill me first. Even then—I doubt I'd kill you. Probably rape you. But not kill you."

She laughed softly. "You're not a rapist."

"But I am a killer?"

"I've seen you."

Her voice sounded a little bit stronger. It was a good sign. What she needed now was rest, not a toss in the sack, he glumly reminded himself as the thrill of desire pulsated through his groin. Why should he care so much if it was in _her_ best interests? She'd live. If she didn't, he could dispose of her easily.

_Listen to yourself,_ his mental voice scolded, _You kill when only necessary—you don't rape and dump!_

"I admire your self control."

Riddick smiled at this. It was a blessing that she could understand what sort of strain she put on him. She slid a hand behind her and brazenly stroked the evidence of his arousal that pressed desperately against the small of her back. He pressed against her fingers, a low growl bubbling from deep within his chest. She was playing with a fire that at any given moment could erupt out of control.

"Patience is a virtue," she whispered, languidly withdrawing her hand. "But you'll be amply rewarded for it. I promise. I'm so very, very tired."

Riddick ground his teeth together and rolled his eyes, an exasperated half-sigh, half-groan emitting from his throat. The throbbing was unbearable.

"Sleep," he whispered after a moment.

She didn't need prodding. She was already out.

A few hours later, Riddick found himself waking once more, thankful that he'd finally fallen asleep and managed to stay asleep despite the hot ache coursing through the front of his thighs and abdomen.

He listened to the sounds of the ship. The cabin climate control kicked in. He listened as the furnaces fired. Listened as the alarms cycled, sounding an all clear in the form of a series of soft beeps that lasted twenty seconds.

Leilani stirred against him, mumbling some nonsensical garble in her sleep. He couldn't stand being in this close of proximity with her any longer without losing his damn mind. Her body had molded against his like it was made to fit there; it was driving him mad. He gently positioned her so that he could leave the bed without disturbing her. Quickly and quietly, he crawled out of the tangle of blankets, beads of sweat dripping down his chiseled body.

Damn it was hot in here.

He left the sleeping quarters and went over to the kitchen. It was best he just get away from her for now. He had more pressing matters to attend to. First, he had to silence his belly's insistent growling. Second, he had to get the ship's engines fired up and set the course to Mars. With hyperdrive employed, Mars was a mere half an hour away. That was only if he could keep them running at full speed. The ship was in sad shape after the grueling trek from New Mecca. An hour, he figured. The poor cores could only go at half-throttle. He decided he'd let them warm up for at least an hour before he jumped the ship into half-hearted hyperdrive.

He grabbed some eggs from the refrigerator and set about to cooking them, also putting two slices of bread in the toaster. Within minutes, maybe even seconds, he'd scarfed them down, finishing the first task he'd set for himself this morning. He started some coffee before he wandered back towards the sleeping quarters to check on Leilani.

She was still lying as he'd left her, sound asleep and sweating up a storm. It was good. She needed to sweat. It indicated that her body had recharged, her own internal temperature regulation finally kicking in. Homeostasis was back to normal. He pulled the blankets and top sheet off her. The sheet was soaked with her sweat. If he left it on her, she'd start freezing again and undo everything he'd spent the past four hours doing. If he left the blankets on her, she'd get a fever and overheat. Sighing, he grabbed another top sheet and lighter blanket and threw them gently over her.

Deciding that she was going to be all right, he went back to the engine room and examined first the engines, then the hyperdrive cores. There was a visible crack along one of the three main engine's block. It would hold until Mars, though. He'd seen much, much worse go much farther. The cores were in sadder shape yet, however. They'd make it to Mars though, easily on half-power hyperdrive. He just needed the ship to make it to Mars. Once there, he'd settle his business and they'd legally commandeer a newer, faster, better ship.

He walked back to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He hated the stuff, but it supplied a sufficient enough jolt to wake him up and get his faculties about him. He moved back into the cockpit, initiating the ignition sequence for the engines, then sat in the pilot's chair, looking out at the stars and asteroids around the ship.

How far he'd come to be here. Once again, he was a wanted man. Once again mercs hunted him; only this time, they were religious fanatics who saw life as the scourge of the universe and revered death in all its black glory. Once again, he had his freedom. No one depended on him. No one demanded that he lead them. He was back to being Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict turned emperor turned fugitive again. He loved every minute of it. He had his freedom back.

And—he had a nice little dish to enjoy on the side.

He glanced down at the clock, noting that forty minutes had passed since he started the engines to warming. He flipped the switch for the hyperdrive, allowing the cores to start warming as well.

After that, he stood, taking a sip of his coffee, and went back to check on Leilani once more.

Leilani woke alone. She sat up abruptly, sweat rolling down her body, though there were places where her skin was tight from where the sweat had dried. Sighing, she threw the blankets off and stood. She sat back down immediately as her vision swam and she became extremely dizzy.

After a moment, she lifted her head again, having heard the engines fire. She looked around the room. A pile of blankets and sheets lay on the floor. Had he slept there instead of next to her? She shook her head at the thought. No, she distinctly remembered feeling every plane of his chiseled torso molded against her back, and his strong arms holding her even closer to him.

Sighing again, she stood, though slower this time. She took a few tentative steps. Satisfied that her balance had returned, she wrapped one of the blankets around herself and trekked slowly to the bathroom.

Leilani started the shower, unsure of whether she should make it hot or cold. Well, she could settle for a happy medium. Warm would work. She stepped in and began vigorously lathering soap all over her body after getting the right temperature going.

She began rinsing moments later, then stood under the showerhead, just basking in the warm torrents of water rushing over her. Her muscles trembled slightly. She moaned softly as the water suddenly grew slightly warmer. She jumped as a set of hands not her own ran down her back.

"I see you just can't stay out of the water," he growled, his hands circling around her waist and drawing her back against him.

"I was sweaty and gross, and couldn't stand it," she replied, allowing him to turn her head so that he could nip at the cords on the side of her neck.

After all this, Leilani couldn't resist him anymore. She'd done a good job thus far, but she just didn't want to anymore. What she wanted was to be possessed. Fully, wholly, undeniably possessed. Only by him. There wasn't anything else in the world she could think of that she wanted right now more than this.

Riddick drew his hands back up from her waist, over the flat, soft expanse of her belly before finally coming to rest cupping her breasts. She let her head loll back so that it rested on his shoulder, giving him full reign to do whatever he wanted with and to her body. He grabbed her hand and drew her arm around his neck, further exposing her to his licentious assault on her body.

He slid a hand down her belly and between her thighs, his fingers teasing her to the point that her hips bucked and a small, soft moan escaped her lips. At this point, the floodgates exploded within him. Riddick's human side was no longer in control.

He turned her to face him, pushing her none too gently against the tiled wall of the shower stall. The air whooshed out of her lungs as his lips seized hers, claiming her mouth in a viciously libidinous snarl. He lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist, bringing his throbbing erection dangerously close to entering her.

Riddick moved his hands to cup her buttocks then, closing the distance in one powerful drive. The soft cry that emitted from her throat served only to excite him further. He ravaged her mouth with his as he pushed further into her.

Leilani couldn't remember anything this painful ever feeling this good. She wouldn't have cared if he tore her apart; it would've felt good. She couldn't help the soft cries and moans that escaped her as he possessed her. She could feel him inside her, yet all around her at the same time. This was the feeling she wanted.

She could feel the climax tightening within her as he drove in and out of her at a maddeningly slow pace. It got to the point where she couldn't stand it anymore. She began matching his thrusts, pushing the pace faster and faster.

Riddick could hardly contain himself when he felt her driving against him, matching him, and pushing him to go faster. He responded by doing just as she so subtly asked. He moved faster and harder, gripping her buttocks tighter and using the wall as leverage.

As her climax gripped him, he sank his teeth into the soft skin of her shoulder, seeking an anchor as her tightening brought him to his own climax.

In the aftermath, Riddick held her to him, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his shoulders. He leaned heavily against her, thankful that her back rested firmly on the wall. Both of them breathed heavily, their hearts beating a thunderous rhythm in their chests. He opened his eyes, seeing a small trickle of blood moving down her chest from her shoulder.

He'd bitten her so hard he'd drawn blood, he realized with a smirk.

The animal in him rose up, and he licked the blood away until it stopped. He let her legs down, steadying her as she got her footing. He turned the water off, still keeping an arm around her waist.

"God damn my shoulder hurts," she whispered as he led her out of the shower stall.

"I'll tend to it in a minute. Let's get you dried off."

She could hardly maintain her footing as he brusquely scrubbed her skin dry with the soft towel, paying particular attention to her breasts and buttocks. Once finished, he tossed the towel over the closed toilet and pushed her down so that she sat on top of it.

Riddick walked over to the medicine cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit. He walked back over and knelt beside her, all the while examining the wound. It was deeper than he'd first thought. With a heavy sigh, he set to work cleaning it, fighting the urge to grimace as she winced. Not a sound escaped her, though. He finished with a small band-aid and some antibiotic ointment.

"You bit me," she whispered as he stood and replaced the kit.

He walked past her toward the sleeping quarters, acting as though she wasn't even there. She didn't know why it stung her so badly, but the gesture seemed especially cold. Hurtful even. It was worse than if he'd said "There, I got what I wanted. Now I'm done with you."

She sat there for a moment after he'd gone, her head in her hands, her shoulder still throbbing. She could feel where every incisor had made its mark. Tears hotly stung her eyes as a sense of bitter shame and resentment washed over her. How could she have been so stupid?

A few moments passed as she sat there crying silently, her emotions flickering between shame, hatred, self-loathing, sorrow, and a slowly-building remorse for Riddick. Why her? Why couldn't he have taken Alana? She'd have been the better choice for his little quest, and a far better conquest. She wouldn't have been so affronted by his brusqueness. She'd have just brushed it off and used him as much as he used her.

Leilani was jolted rudely from her thoughts by the engagement of the engines. The ship shook and launched forward, knocking her off the toilet seat and onto the floor. She lay there a moment, unwilling to even get up, listening as the hyperdrives were activated. Figuring that this meant Riddick was busy, she managed to push herself to her hands and knees, then eventually to her feet.

She staggered to the sleeping quarters and rifled through the feminine clothing left by the ship's previous female inhabitant. Leilani found a pair of jeans a couple sizes too big, clean underwear that was also too big, a bra that fit alright though nowhere near as well as she would have liked, and a button-down silk blouse that was also just a touch on the too big side.

After dressing, she went to the ship's recreation area, not wanting to go anywhere near the cockpit at this point. There were several weight machines and a couple punching bags set up at the far end of the recreation room. To the left was a wet bar with an enormous plasma TV and access to a thousand universal channels. To the right were some tables, one of which had a chess/checker board as a top and translucent black and white glass pieces. Then, at the very center, was a tournament-sized pool table next to an enormous poker table. It seemed that these items along with the wet bar had been favored by the previous crew.

Leilani sat at the table with the checkerboard top and pulled the glass pieces out of the drawer on the underside of the table. She decided to play chess against herself.

Yes, it was an odd thing to do. Better played with two than one. But, she didn't much feel like trying to find an opponent. Especially when the only other opponent available had assaulted her dignity and left her licking her wounds. At least he'd fixed her up. She wasn't much looking forward to a repeat episode.

She moved the pawns around, dancing them across the board at each other, claiming them as each move saw fit and counteracting in the same terms. It was, really, the best way to play chess. It taught a person to think each move through, and at the end, you always won when you played against yourself.

Leilani was deep in thought, pondering her next move, when the ship jolted to a bone-jarring halt. All of the pieces fell onto the floor, some cracking, some shattering. Once again, she lay there for a moment, feeling as if he'd ravaged her all over again.

The tears came once more as she brushed the little broken fragments into a pile of mixed black and white glass. She ignored the prickling sensations of the shards breaking her skin. Right now, she couldn't feel much. For that, she was thankful. She stood and walked over to the wet bar, figuring that a broom and dust pan of some sort might be stored there.

She figured right. So, she set to cleaning up the mess, not really thinking at all. Not feeling. Just numb. Leilani deposited the broken pieces in the trash receptacle and proceeded to head back towards the sleeping quarters.

Leilani sat on one of the unused bunks, looking numbly down at her hands, which were crimson with her own blood. How fitting. Her hands were as red as the planet which they now orbited.

Riddick guided the ship into orbit, using a fake call sign to contact the planet and gain access to their inbound shipping lane. Access was granted, and he allowed the tractor beam to take control of the ship.

He wondered where his prey had gone as he stood up from the pilot's chair. It'd been forty five minutes since he'd left her in the bathroom after he'd fixed her up. He'd figured she'd come up once she'd dressed again.

Figuring there'd be another half an hour wait before the tractor beam brought the ship to port, he decided he'd search for her. Didn't take him long, since she was where he thought to look first.

He walked in, and the first thing he saw was the blood on the floor. Then he looked to where she cupped her hands together. Her expression was what shocked him most. It was almost as if someone had sucked the life out of her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he boomed, striding in and kneeling beside her, taking her hands in his and examining them.

"They broke. I picked them up," she said, her voice flat and almost robotic.

"What broke? Don't fuckin' tell me you're trying to commit suicide!"

Leilani met his gaze then, and he could see she'd been crying.

"I didn't try to kill myself," she said.

Her expression was earnest and she seemed more than genuinely taken aback at the accusation.

"What were you doing?" he asked, completely baffled by the situation.

"I was playing chess. The ship stopped suddenly. I—I fell, and so did all the chess pieces. They broke. I cleaned them up."

"With your bare hands?"

"Only some of them."

"Where the hell is your head, woman?

At this, Leilani just looked away. She stood and walked towards the mess area. Riddick followed, realizing that she hadn't had anything to eat. God damn, was he going to have to take care of every one of her little needs? She didn't seem this dense back on Helion Medialis.

She went to work removing the glass shards, not so much as wincing as she picked them out of her skin while blood ran down the drain. She even began to hum softly. Riddick realized she was ignoring him. Whether or not she did so intentionally was arguable. But she was doing it, nonetheless.

"Let me see," he quietly commanded once she'd gotten all the glass out.

"I'll be ok," she replied, wrapping a towel around her hands and making her way toward the cockpit.

He followed, not quite sure what to think of her behavior.

"When will we dock?" she asked once he'd sat in the pilot's chair.

"About fifteen minutes, give or take," he replied, sitting back and resting his feet on the console.

"Ok," she replied, swiveling in her chair to look out the window.

He watched her for a moment. She was extremely pale. No doubt her blood sugar level was dangerously low.

"You should eat something."

"I'm not hungry," she airily replied, still looking out the window.

"Leilani," he said, drawing her attention, "Go eat something. Now. Before you drop dead right there."

Sighing, Leilani gathered her legs beneath her and trudged to the kitchenette. She made herself two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and brought them back to the cockpit. Riddick watched her tear into them. Leilani hadn't realized how hungry she was, though she was careful to hide that fact from Riddick. Not that she really could; it was quite evident the way she tore through the second sandwich.

They came into port shortly thereafter.

"Stay here until I come back for you. I'm just going to clear things with the harbormaster."

Leilani did as she was told, the previous numbness in her expression thawing into a shadow of her former spunk. She waited in the co-pilot's chair as she watched Riddick greet the harbor master and talk with him for a few moments.

He returned shortly after that, smiling from ear-to-ear. He reached in his pants' pocket, producing his wallet. He counted off a fistful of local currency and handed it to her.

"Be back at the ship four hours from now. I've got some—business—to conduct. Get some clothes, food, and whatever else strikes your fancy. And don't, under any circumstance, let this money out of your hand. Don't even put it in your pocket. The pick-pockets here will steal you blind in ten seconds flat at the open market."

Leilani took the money, shame still clinging to her like a second skin. A harlot. That's what she felt like. He was paying her for her services. She hated the feeling. Maybe she might have to stir her own troubles up.

They left the ship together, and after Riddick made sure she knew how to get back to the docks from the marketplace, he left her on her own to attend to his private matters.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Beautiful Chaos

Leilani stopped at the first upscale feminine clothing shop she could find. She went inside, and immediately felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman on Rodeo Drive. The two women at the counter were immaculately and stylishly dressed; a blonde in a red halter dress and strappy hemp wedges, and a darker blonde in a purple pantsuit and matching ballet flats. Their hair and makeup were perfect. Their manicures were infallible. They looked at her exactly the way she felt today: Like some cheap tramp.

"Um, what can I do for you honey?" one of them, the blonde in the red dress, asked her, doing nothing to mask the sneer in her voice.

The condescension in her tone lit a fuse within Leilani, immediately sparking her ire. She was _not_ about to be treated the way Ms. Roberts had been treated in that ancient movie. No way in hell. She was _not_ a tramp or a whore, not by any stretch of the imagination. And, on top of that, she had more of a right to be here than these brainless twits.

"I need some clothes. A couple of dresses. And I need to change now. I have plenty of cash, so don't worry your pretty, empty heads about some tramp like me soiling them. Furthermore, my husband happens to be a diplomat from New Mecca. I'm sure he'd appreciate everything you can do for me. Otherwise, well, I'm not sure you'd want to see him angry," Leilani carped, not at all wanting to deal with their attitudes.

The darker blonde in a purple pantsuit regarded her with a surprised look, as if she'd said the words the darker blonde had been thinking, then stammered, "O-o-over here. Come, we'll see what looks best on you."

Leilani was surprised that their demeanors had changed so quickly. They treated her like a queen. She tried on some of the prettiest dresses, suits, and outfits she'd ever seen. Evening gowns fit for the queens of the universe and beyond, by far the hottest things she'd ever seen herself in. She bought one such gown; a sleeveless green number with a scooped back and a medium length flouncy skirt. The entire dress was made of the finest silk from a tropical planet in a solar system of which she'd never heard.

She also bought a cute sundress in a surprisingly flattering shade of robin's egg blue, a couple of poplin dress shirts in black and black with purple pin striping, a lilac-hued designer hoodie with real diamonds embedded permanently within the fabric along with several other shirts of varying styles and colors, as well as several pairs of pants and jeans. She bought a couple pairs of wedges—one open toe and one closed toe, a pair of designer label combat boots, a couple pairs of stylish ballet flats, and a couple pairs of athletic shoes.

Shockingly enough, she only ended up blowing through half of the wad of currency Riddick had given her. She was certain she'd have blown it all, but she didn't. It made her nervous how he'd handed her so much cash so easily. Then again, he was the former king of Helion Prime. He probably had more than she cared to know. Hell, for all she knew, he was out murdering someone right now for more. And, on top of that, procuring another, faster, more heavily armed ship.

Leilani left the shop clad in the designer hoodie, jeans, and boots. She lugged her four bags of clothing back to the ship, careful to make sure she was not followed. After depositing the bags on an empty bunk, she went back out to the marketplace. She wasn't about to stop shopping now that she'd gotten her feet wet.

The next place Leilani stopped was a sunglasses shop. Hey, she was already dressed like a rockstar—she might as well finish the look. She picked an understated silver set with dark violet tint and encrusted with rare Earth amethysts on the corners before moving on with her shopping.

She wandered through the bustling stands, listening to the many foreign tongues of alien humanoids and otherworldly creatures. Leilani loved language. She was a writer after all. This would be excellent research for a new book, the title and plot of which she wasn't at all sure yet. But, it would be good and it would make her rich. She was sure of it. Maybe she'd chronicle her adventures with Riddick? Ha! That'd make an excellent story!

Her stomach started growling as she passed a McDonald's Universal Food joint. Damn, they'd been around forever. She wasn't hungry enough to eat that stuff, though. She kept moving and found a small soup and salad type restaurant. When she went inside, all eyes followed her to a table. It was almost as if her "rockstar" attire had catapulted her to celebrity status. She kind of liked the attention. She chose a booth at the back, trying to keep her distance.

A handsome humanoid man sat down across from her. He reached a hand out in greeting, but before he could say anything, he was yanked up from his seat and replaced by Riddick. Leilani glared at the goggled, muscular man before her with impish contempt.

"Now why'd you have to ruin my fun?" she said, lifting her sunglasses to rest on the top of her head.

"I leave you alone for a couple of hours, and you turn the planet upside down. Wife of a Diplomat from New Mecca? We're trying to keep a low profile, God dammit," he venomously whispered back so that no one else would hear.

Leilani smirked, happy that she'd been of some inconvenience to him. "Well, they wouldn't have let me buy those clothes if I didn't have some sort of leverage. And, they pissed me off. I had to show 'em who was boss."

Riddick had to smile at this. "You should have bitch slapped them. Less attention that way."

"Oh right, so you could come get me out of jail where they've got pictures of me up as a missing person?"

"You saw those?"

"Yeah, I did. Necros must hold Alana and my family in their utmost highest regards. On the run with a fugitive King. Hmmm, not exactly low profile in the first fucking place," she snapped back, still keeping her voice low.

"Best you not be found," he growled back. "I like it when you're pissed."

Leilani sat back and put her shades back down, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You didn't do as much as I had hoped you would, so I took the liberty of scheduling you a hair appointment. You're going in for a cut and dye job to alter your appearance. I don't care what you do, so long as it's radically different from how you look now, but still mild enough to blend in. What are we having for lunch?"

"I've got to get other things too—feminine things. I don't have any staples. Underwear, soap, that kind of stuff," she replied, ignoring his food question completely. She wasn't about to let the conversation shift so easily.

"Fine."

"Have we got a new ship yet?"

"Not yet. While you finish your shit, I'm going to get that done. By the way, I liked the dress."

Leilani smiled and said nothing more, concentrating perhaps a bit too hard on the menu in front of her. She could feel his gaze upon her, could almost feel the amusement she knew was there. She hated that about him—how the strangest, most unbecoming little attitudes of hers seemed to amuse or arouse him. The man found her intriguing, and damned if she wasn't equally attracted to him.

The waiter was quick to take their drink orders. Leilani had a sense that their sudden VIP status was going to make it that much easier to eat and get the hell off this rock before the sun set.

She ordered an enormous salad topped with grilled steak and the works. Riddick ordered their largest steak, rare of course, and a side of potato wedges. They tore through their food with equal haste, not wanting to make small talk or trade anymore barbs for the time being.

About half an hour later, they walked out of the restaurant together, Riddick's arm stubbornly encircling Leilani's waist. It was a gesture to any other male present that he'd better stay the hell away.

"Up the street, stop at the first salon there on the left. Your appointment is in ten minutes. Don't let her talk you into anything too outrageous," he surprisingly gently told her, drawing her sharply to him.

Before she could react, Riddick kissed her soundly on the lips. Almost as soon as he'd done it, he abruptly spun her in the right direction, gave her a sound smack on the ass, and disappeared into the crowd.

She made it four steps before she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned and met the gaze of the lighter blonde from the store she'd bought her clothes.

"I'm sorry, I never got your name. If possible, could you autograph my PDA? I've met a few famous people, and I'd like to add it to my collection."

Leilani racked her brains for the split second it took her to reply. What were the diplomat's last names? Ha! Got one. Oooh, her friend would hate her for this. Eh, what could it hurt? She was trillions of miles away.

"My name's Alana Gladstone. Sure, I'll sign for you. Got a marker?" Leilani replied, taking the glittering, bejeweled, pink PDA from the woman. So freakin' typical, Leilani thought as she glanced down at the little contraption.

She produced a marker immediately. Leilani autographed it and returned it.

"Sorry to be so short, but I've got a hair appointment. Have a nice life!" Leilani said, turning immediately and walking off.

The blonde stood there holding her PDA as if it were made of solid platinum. It was a good thing she didn't follow. It was even better that the woman had no idea who the Gladstones of New Mecca were, or that none of them had an Alana in their family. At this, Leilani had to chuckle. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"Ah! You must be Ms. Riddick. Come back here to my private booth. We've got to hurry," a short, Asian-looking woman with short, ramrod straight, bright blue hair chirped as soon as Leilani walked through the door.

Leilani allowed herself to be ushered to the rear of the salon, away from prying eyes. She sat in the chair and the woman threw an apron around her shoulders in the same instant.

"Riddick usually has horrible taste in women. It's a heartwarming sight to see that his judgment is greatly improved," the woman said as she began wetting Leilani's hair.

"Oh, we're not—"

"Of course you're not. He doesn't just have his women groomed every day," the woman cut her off with a wink and a smirk.

"Don't go too short. I'm partial—"

"Trust me. We won't go too short, though I've got some ideas. Trust me, honey. No one will recognize the fox coming out of this den when we're through."

Leilani sighed. "I'll trust your judgment. How do you know Riddick?"

The woman laughed. "We did time together in some low security slam out on Pluto. Miserable, cold, little rock. I'm Darcelle, by the way. Call me Darce for short."

Leilani smiled uneasily. "Ok, Darce. What were you in for?"

Darce grinned. "Well, I killed some asshole who tried to pimp me out. They took it easy on me, since it was a first offense."

"Wow. So did you and Riddick—I mean—"

"Nah, I'm into girls. Oooh, but don't worry, any woman of Riddick's is safe from me," she laughed, starting to snip away at the back of Leilani's hair.

"So what color are we going with? Something wild or tame?"

"Well, I've kind of always wondered what I'd look like with red hair," Leilani confessed.

"Haha, no offense, but too cliché. Everyone wants red. Let's get wild, sexy! Riddick likes wild, you know."

"I'm well aware. He also likes soiling innocence."

"Oh, really? That dog! So I was thinking—you've got a lot of purple going on, and it's just rockin' with that gorgeous complexion. How about we go with a nice royal purple with lilac highlights? Trust me, that would just slam with this new 'do I plan on cooking up here for ya," Darce gushed.

"You know, that doesn't sound half bad, actually."

"Fantastic!"

An hour later, Leilani could not believe her reflection. She could never in a million years have thought she'd ever look this good with hair and clothes so outrageous. Exactly what Riddick had warned against. It'd make her stand out. Haha, good! She'd put another chink into his plans. She disregarded the nagging worry that he'd take it out on her harshly.

"Rockin'!" Darce exclaimed, spinning Leilani around so that she could see a 360 degree view of her hair.

Darcelle had cut it into a bob that stopped just below Leilani's chin. She'd added wispy bangs that blended into the rest of her hair beautifully. As for the color? It was a vibrant, deep purple, with bright, light lilac-hued streaks throughout. It was absolutely wild, and absolutely perfect. Even her eyebrows matched.

Darce clapped her hands and jumped up and down, giggling like a mad woman. "Oh, it's so perfect, and he's sooooo gonna kill me."

"Haha, he told you to keep it low key, too?" Leilani laughed, standing up and removing the apron from her neck.

"Yeah. But I never listen."

"I'm starting not to, too," Leilani laughed, shaking the hand Darcelle had extended her.

"Good. Don't let him intimidate you. He's really a little lost puppy, once you crack that shell. He said he'd been rough with you. By the looks of the cuts on your hands—well, I'll gut him before he yells at me for your hair. That sort of abuse—"

"He didn't do this, I fell when he put the brakes on and I was playing chess with glass chess pieces. I guess in a way it sort of is his fault, but not directly. Anyway, it was good to meet you. I hope we meet again soon," she cut Darce off, examining her hands. The cuts weren't too deep, though if you looked closely at them, they were particularly nasty in appearance.

"Riddick always comes back around here when he's in a bind. No doubt we'll see each other again soon. Maybe under less constraining times. Before you go, here are some cosmetic contacts. Put them in when you get a chance. There's 20 sets there, five sets of four colors. Change the colors daily. And in this box, I've supplied six wigs of varying styles and lengths. Now, let's get you out the back. You'll attract less attention that way," Darce said, handing her a suitcase containing the contacts, cases, cleaning solution, and wigs.

"Great. Thanks so much! Hey, where can I find—um—a lingerie shop?"

Darce's bright blue eyebrows shot up. "You're a little devil. I like you so very much already. Head to the right there four doors. Knock on the backdoor. I'll call Misty, the shop owner, and let her know you're coming. She'll give you extra attention and get you out quicker knowing that you're one of my clients."

"Thanks again," Leilani replied, impulsively hugging the little imp of a woman before her.

"You're quite welcome. Until we meet again. Hurry, Riddick seemed anxious to be out of here ASAP. He's going to be mad enough as it is," she said with a wink before disappearing back inside her shop.

Leilani did as Darcelle had instructed. Before she had even reached the door, the shop owner, Misty, was waiting outside for her. She was a woman of medium height, dancer-like build, with long platinum blonde hair and pale blue eyes.

"Come," she said with an ancient sort of French accent, "Vee mus' 'urry. Riddick 'az already been 'ere looking for you."

Leilani went into one of the dressing rooms as Misty instructed and stripped to her underwear. The woman came in and took her measurements, tsk-tsking at the sad state of her current undergarments.

"Now zat I 'ave your measurements, I vill put togezzer a discount package of fifteen deeferent bras and zee panties. Vould you also prefer zat I give you zee night gowns and naughties?" the woman asked.

From outside the door, a masculine voice replied, "Yes, actually, Misty. We would prefer that."

Misty swung open the door, grinning at the goggled man standing there. "I should 'ave known, hmm? I'll 'ave dem vaiting for you at zee counter in a few moments."

Riddick's eyebrows shot up when his gaze turned to Leilani.

"Before you say anything—" Leilani started, but was cut off when she was thrown against the back wall of the dressing room.

Riddick lifted his goggles and she could see a potent, terrifying mix of fury and lust swirling in those silvery depths.

"I can't have you spiting me at every turn. You're going to get me _killed_, and yourself as well, if you keep it up!" he viciously growled, pinning her arms above her head.

Leilani smiled in spite of his warning, remembering Darcelle's words. He may take it out on her hide, but he'd never seriously hurt her. This sort of knowledge was power that she intended to wield to the fullest extent she could.

"You know, there's something incredibly sexy about you when you're pissed," she whispered, leaning in and slowly licking the side of his ear.

Riddick shoved her back against the wall again, glaring at her. "Let's get out of here before you do any more damage."

He didn't let go of her hand as he dragged her out of the dressing room to the counter where Misty met them seconds later. He took the bag, gave her an obscene handful of currency, and dragged Leilani out of the store.

They made it halfway to the shipping docks before Riddick stopped, something wet drizzling out from between their tightly clasped hands. He looked down and realized that he'd squeezed her hand so hard that he'd reopened the cuts from the glass. She'd been bleeding and leaving a trail ever since they left the lingerie store.

He looked up at her eyes then, wondering why she hadn't stopped him. Not like he'd have let her, he dismally realized. She must have known, too. It had never been his intent to do her so much physical harm. It had never been his intent to hurt her at all.

"C'mon. We've got thirty minutes before they close the harbor for the night," Leilani coldly stated, yanking her hand from his and stalking towards the docks.

Riddick followed, catching her in a few strides, and walking ahead. Leilani followed silently. He led her to a shining, jet-black, brand new private civilian-class mid-size speedster. A crew of men busily ran across the top decks, securing what looked like gun ports all around the ship. It didn't surprise her, though it threw into sharp relief the fact that he was serious about fighting off his enemies and staying free.

"Hurry up! Get those ports sealed for flight! I'll finish the rest myself!" Riddick bellowed as soon as they reached the dock where the ship sat.

The men scurried down the scaffolds and onto the dock, many of them regarding Leilani with open interest. Riddick crudely grabbed her by the upper arm, careful this time to avoid her injured hands, and yanked her inside the ship.

"Sit down. We're going to jump through those shipping lanes like a bat out of hell. I don't want you hurting yourself anymore," he said in a soft, condescending tone as he all but threw her toward the co-pilot chair.

Leilani did as she was told without a word, her rage festering beneath a carefully guarded surface. She strapped herself in and closed her eyes. Once they hit hyperspace, she'd be free to leave his presence and explore this new ship.

She didn't open her eyes until well after the sickening lurch of launching into the shipping lanes and rocketing out of Mars's planetary orbital range. He hadn't engaged the hyperdrives, and it troubled her.

"Look at me," he softly commanded.

She was reluctant to obey, though she did so, all the while removing her new shades.

"Never cause that much trouble again. You almost blew my cover," he sternly said.

"I'll keep doing it as long as you keep treating me like some common harlot. I am not your usual slam trash, alright? Keep treating me like a fucking slut, and I'll keep fucking up your game plan. Got it?" Leilani snapped, standing and throwing the glasses in the now vacant seat.

She stalked out of the cockpit and immediately into the dining area. It was, in a word, posh. The numerous cabinets were made of ebony, stained in a satiny, luxurious black finish. Fine china sat in glass-faced cabinets to her right. The dishes were secured with an ingenious, rubberized rack system that protected the dishes within from slipping and shattering. There was a six-burner, black ceramic cook top to the left, above which hung several high-quality pans, pots, and other cooking utensils. To the right of the stove stood an enormous stainless steel side-by-side refrigerator/freezer. She opened the door and found it fully stocked with both fresh produce and meats, as well as frozen. There was also quite a bit of alcohol in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator.

"Great," she said aloud. "He's gonna get me drunk again."

"Only if you want to," he said from behind her.

She ignored him and moved on to the formal dining room, with its black marble floor and walls, and its ebony dining set glistening luxuriously in the recessed lighting of the domed ceiling. It was hard to believe they were inside a ship, not a mansion.

She walked up to the enormous circular table and ran a hand over the smooth, polished top. The chair backs were carved in ornate, tribal patterns, where the wood actually twisted around itself. It seemed to fit Riddick's decorum tastes perfectly, she thought as she moved to the doorway at the far end of the room.

Through the door, she found herself stepping into the recreation area, so to speak. It was much the same as the one on the old ship, except it had newer, better exercise equipment and a much more elaborate wet bar. She noted with certain disbelief, that the table with the glass checkerboard top sat off at the far end of the room. She walked over and opened one of the drawers. She found all new chess pieces and checkers made of what could have only been platinum.

"I figured we'd go with metal as opposed to glass pieces," he said from behind her.

Leilani turned to face him, tears welling in her uniquely green eyes. He cupped her face, a gentle gesture she never expected he was capable of.

"Let me show you to your room," he said, thumbing the tears away.

"My room?"

"Well if you'd prefer sharing—"

"Actually, well, we'll see," she said, following him, arm-in-arm.

He led her back through the dining room and into the kitchen area. Just past the entryway to the dining room and next to the glass-faced cabinets was a door. He opened it and ushered her through. In front of them was a long hallway with four doors on each side. He led her to the second door on the right, holding it open for her to peek in.

Inside, the entire far wall was thick, armored windows allowing her to see the stars zoom by. Riddick pushed a button on the wall, and the windows darkened momentarily, then re-lit with a vivid scene of a rainforest and waterfall. It even had sounds, with tropical birds chirping, the rush of the water, the tinkling of the waves, and the soft rustle of the wind through the trees.

To the right stood an ebony four-poster canopy bed with a Kelly green canopy and matching lace curtains. The bedspread was silver, made of down, and had green patterns embroidered across its luxurious cover. Several pillows sat at the head of the bed. Most of which she planned on throwing off when she laid down. In the middle of the bed was the bag of lingerie from the last shop they'd been at. She hadn't even had time to look at its contents.

"Did you look at—" she turned, and found she was talking to no one.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Next Stop

Riddick sat at the controls, watching the stars and asteroids streak by, little white, blue, grey, red, green, and brown blurs. He had more blood on his hands. Two more faces to his kill roster. The whole time he'd been on Mars, he'd gone to pay a couple mercenaries, aka "friends", a visit. He knew that they'd be two of the first to come after him, two of the best, and it was just a nuisance he didn't want to deal with. He'd killed them in their homes, in front of their wives and children. It'd been, perhaps, the most ruthless, heartless thing he'd ever done. Riddick normally killed quickly, discretely, and out of necessity. This—this had been just plain brutal. It would ruin his sleep for many nights, he was certain of it. But he couldn't help it. He couldn't let them have even the tiniest edge over him, the minutest shot at ruining his final escape.

The first merc had been responsible for tipping off Johns and another more pesky merc a couple of times, and aiding in Riddick's eventual recapture. The man had received a hefty $1.5 million for his tipping services on three separate occasions. This man hadn't killed in many, many years. He was a valuable informant; a veritable convict champion bloodhound with an insanely keen nose. Riddick removed what remained of that money from the safe deposit box in the man's basement before forcing the man upstairs away from his wife and children so that they wouldn't know Riddick was there. He then proceeded to slit the man's throat on the second floor balcony of the merc's own home, dropping him into the living room where his wife and two sons sat, horrified and screaming. He'd made his exit before they had time to put together exactly what had happened.

It was different killing like this. Killing to be a step ahead instead of killing because you're a step behind was a lot different. You had to be a special kind of heartless. The first merc—he'd been a family man, out of the business since Riddick became the Helion Prime King. He lived off the spoils of his war against Riddick. And now? Well, Riddick couldn't let the guy come out of retirement.

The second mercenary had been one of the men who'd enslaved, raped, and tortured Kyra. It was a crime he would not allow to go unpunished. It was one less vendetta he'd have stored away in the back of his mind. One less face for whom he'd to keep an eye open at night. The first one he'd lose sleep over.

The second one… He was an entirely different story. Riddick would surely have good dreams of killing him over and over again. Perhaps they'd cancel each other out in the end.

This second guy had a special execution. He was divorced, had one of his girlfriends over, and his teenage daughter was there too. Sick fuck that he was, he was banging both of them, at the same time, when Riddick slipped unnoticed into the rundown little house on the edge of town. The pervert liked 'em young, apparently. Riddick bound the man to his bed and castrated him while the girlfriend and daughter watched. He cauterized and sealed the wound with the hot bottom of a frying pan. He then proceeded to shove the disembodied member down the guy's throat until he asphyxiated. Then, just to make absolute certain the asshole wasn't going to ever come after him again, Riddick put a bullet through his brain. The women seemed grateful that he'd killed the man. Riddick doubted they'd ever turn him in. And even if they did, they'd have no idea who the hell he was.

He stood and stretched, his back cramping from the position in which he'd now sat for the past six hours. He guessed he'd better at least try to sleep. He didn't need to stay awake and watch his back any longer. The ship was on autopilot headed out of the Milky Way at a pretty good clip. They'd reach Jupiter in a couple weeks at this speed. It was just below engaging the hyperdrives. He obviously didn't want to continue at this slow of a pace—just through the night at least. Maybe the week. He was in no hurry anymore. Not yet, anyway. But when he did need to make haste, he knew for sure an older ship of even a better class wouldn't catch this one. He was in a legitimate, armed ship with a squeaky clean alias. Let the galaxy patrol stop him for anything they liked. His ID and the one he'd procured for Leilani were clean. The ship was clean. Go ahead.

Riddick turned and walked towards his own room, well down the hall from where Leilani no doubt slept by now, curled up on the luxurious bed, possibly wearing one of the decadent negligees he'd purchased for her earlier. Dammit, he hadn't been able to look at them. Maybe she wore something that matched that outrageous hair. He had to admit that it did look good on her. Too good.

The woman puzzled him to no end. One minute she was a passionate hellcat, putty in his wanton hands. The next, she was fighting him tooth and nail and trying her damnedest to completely jeopardize everything he'd worked so hard for, and in so doing, sending them both back to either a life of hell or mediocrity. Didn't she realize what an opportunity he was giving her? She now had means to explore the farthest reaches of the Universe, in style no less, and here she was throwing it back in his face.

Perhaps he should have gone for the friend. The lanky blond with the great body and the hot car. It would have been a headier conquest, taking a Purifier's bitch right out from under his nose. It'd have been too risky, though. And on top of that, she'd have been too easy. Leilani—she was intoxicatingly innocent, and annoyingly cantankerous. It was a mix he adored and hated at the same time. Her naïve nature was a potent allure. So was the passion and lust he'd caught swirling within those beautiful green depths of her eyes when at last he'd taken her.

He paused outside her door, then lifted his fist as if to knock. He shook his head, thought better of it and began a sulky gait towards his own room. She was probably asleep anyway. He didn't feel like dealing with the annoyance of her tepid ire. She was cute when she was mad, but he didn't feel like putting up with it. He didn't want to fight tonight. He just wanted to breathe deep and relax for the first time in many, many years.

Riddick stopped dead in his tracks when he heard the bolt on her door disengage. He didn't dare turn around for fear that his mind was playing tricks on him. His back was rigid, his ears strained so hard that he could both hear and feel the cells of his blood rushing through the veins and arteries in his head.

"Riddick?"

He closed his eyes, holding his breath.

"Riddick, is that you? It's dark—I can't—I saw a shadow under the door—"

He turned, having forgotten that he hadn't turned on a single light in his passage to his room. Why would he need to? He saw better in the dark.

"It's just me. Relax," he said, his voice actually soothing as he turned to face her.

She was a sight to behold. She'd pulled her hair back in a high ponytail that bounced when she moved, her bangs resting in tousled wisps just below her eyebrows, creating a sexy, sleepy, sultry effect. She wore a hunter green lace negligee. That was all. Nothing else. How could he tell? Well, it was lace, after all. There were designs in just the right places to conceal the most attractive details of her anatomy, however. But she was obviously lacking undergarments.

"Riddick?" she asked, fear creeping into her tone.

He walked up to her and drew her sharply to him. "I like that one."

She groggily smiled, and he could see that she'd been crying. "You'll like all of them."

"Listen—I never meant to treat you like a slut, ok? It's just that we've got to maintain a certain degree of vigilance. I won't go back to the slam. I won't go back to being a fucking figurehead, either. So stop with the waterworks."

She looked up into his eyes, seeing in the darkness only a telltale flash of silver. "I didn't cry because of that, Riddick. I cried because I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" It wasn't at all what he'd expected.

"I realize that I don't deserve all this," she said, gesturing to include the ship's grandiose interior and her current outfit, "I just felt—used at the time. I didn't see the big picture."

"You've just gotta trust me, ok? I've been doing this since I was a fucking kid. I'm an asshole. I'm a fucking convict and a murderer. But I'm not going to let any harm come to you, so long as you help me and do as I say. Understood?"

She nodded and leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder, her breath tickling his neck in relaxed, warm little puffs. He held her to him, not really knowing what to do. God, she smelled so good. Freshly showered, freshly shaven. She felt so good, all soft and warm, fresh from the bed no doubt. The gesture itself was potent in stirring his lust; her wide-eyed innocence in the effect she sometimes had on him. It was enough to break him.

"Riddick? You're shaking," she whispered, pulling away.

"Let's go in here. I haven't seen all the programs yet for that window wall," he growled, his voice cracking a little. He didn't want her to feel—as she put it—used. He wanted to at least show some sort of unselfish interest in her. Show her that he could be a gentleman, or in the very least, capable of a noble amount of chivalry.

She smiled, knowing full well that he didn't give a damn about the wall. She took his hand and led him into her room. The bedspread was tousled and tangled with the sheets, and all but two pillows lay on the floor, thrown haphazardly. She'd put all the new clothes away. The scene on the wall was of a tranquil rainforest clearing at night, with a gentle thunderstorm overhead, complete with lightning flashes that lit the entire room. She moved to change it, but he stopped her.

"No. I like this one. Leave it," he gently whispered, guiding her towards the bed.

Leilani sat on the edge of the bed, drawing him towards her by hooking her fingers into the belt loops of his cargo khaki pants. She undid the zipper, looking hesitantly up into his eyes.

He guided her hands into finishing the job, sliding out of the pants while at the same time removing his shirt. He made up his mind then that this was going to be different than the first time. He'd be gentle. He'd be more focused on her than himself. Right now, his inner demons were not in control of him. He'd let them out later, when he couldn't delay release any longer, when her own demons had control of her.

Riddick gently pushed her back onto the bed, scooping her legs off to the side so that she lay lengthwise on the bed. He came to rest beside her, propped up on one elbow, his other arm draped lazily yet possessively across her belly.

"Did Darce give you the contacts?" he asked, looking down into her eyes, his expression soft and unlike any he'd ever shown her before.

"Yes," she softly replied, her eyes searching his. She noticed he was squinting considerably. "Lights dim," she called, and the ship's computer responded. "More," she commanded again. They responded until she said, "Stop."

"Thank you," Riddick softly spoke, his fingers tracing indolent, wanton patterns across the lace of the negligee's bodice. "Don't use them unless you have to," he continued speaking, his hand going further south on her body's plane.

"Why not?" she whispered, a fine trembling beginning in her upper thighs.

"Your eyes are perfect," he replied in a husky, barely audible tone, now pulling the hem of the negligee up to expose her upper thighs and the vee where they connected. He slipped his hand between and softly stroked the ever-dampening apex of that vee. The fact that his earlier actions had been enough to arouse her heightened his own arousal. He bent his head, almost reverently, and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Leilani wasn't quite sure how to handle this. He'd always been so rough and demanding. Now, it was almost as if he was—dare she think it—worshipping her. It felt good. No, not good. Wonderful, she thought, languidly drawing the word out in her mind. His tongue darted a trifle hesitantly into her mouth, and she responded with a flick of her own. Having gained permission, he responded a little more passionately, kissing a little harder. She gasped when he slipped one finger inside her.

"Did I hurt you?" he whispered against her cheek, pulling her so that she rested above him, face-to-face, straddling his hips.

Leilani was still trying to wrap her head around what exactly was happening. This wasn't a lusty, gratuitous act of release. He was trying to make sure she enjoyed it. It was an act that she made up her mind to reward him for. Where Riddick's nature was to take, hers was to give. The fact that he was putting aside his own desires to make her happy and please her was as potent as an aphrodisiac could be.

Riddick lifted the negligee over her head and tossed it onto the pillow-strewn floor, then slid his hands back down to cup her breasts. He lifted his torso so that he could bury his face between them, lapping at one of her torturously hard nipples at the same time with his tongue.

He kept this up for a few moments, relishing the soft murmurs she emitted every few breaths, her hips grinding against his in a mindless rhythm. The only force keeping him from entering her was the boxers he still wore. Not that it mattered. It felt as though they didn't exist the way she pulsated against him except for the fact that he couldn't penetrate.

He rolled then, so that he came to rest above her, stripping his boxers in the process. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he lowered his frame onto hers, his lips meeting hers in a gentle, searing kiss. Her back arched, her psyche forcing her as physically close to him as she could get. He rested his full weight on her, tearing his lips from hers to lavish kisses across her collarbone.

When he reached her breasts, he suckled hard, erstwhile slipping a hand down her belly once more. She moaned and bucked her hips at his touch, her body a live wire seeking release of its perpetually building passion.

She surprised him by sliding her own hand down his chiseled chest, caressing his abdominals briefly, and eventually grasping his hardened shaft with pleasantly unanticipated brazenness. He growled low and deep in his throat, his own hips bucking to meet her bold strokes.

Leilani shoved him to the side, straddling his hips carefully to avoid any premature penetration. She didn't want him just yet, maddening as her desire for him was. She leaned down and kissed him hotly, her tongue controlling his. She stopped almost as abruptly as she started, sliding her body down his, leaving a trail of kisses and playful nips behind.

Riddick lolled his head back and let a hissing, guttural groan out between clenched teeth as she engulfed his shaft with her hot mouth. His fingers tore the hair tie out of her hair and buried themselves between the silken strands as she set up a stroking, suckling rhythm.

After a few moments, Leilani abruptly stopped. Riddick was almost panting now, his inner demons dangerously close to the surface. The Furyan lust was boiling, and Leilani could clearly see it in his eyes. She shoved him back on the bed when he tried to sit up, nearly causing him to hit his head on the headboard. She straddled him again, teasing the tip of his member with her wetness.

"God dammit, woman—" he cursed, grasping her hips hard in his hands and slamming her down onto him.

Leilani gasped at the sudden, harsh intrusion, but quickly recovered, leaning down over him while slowly gyrating her hips in a circular motion, her breasts gently pushing against his chest as she did so.

Riddick laid his head back again and closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of her. He'd never intended it to be this good. He'd fully intended to come in here and ravish her gently. Here she was, taking absolute control over him—and he loved it. He lifted his hips to meet hers as she took on a slow, rocking rhythm.

Leilani sat back, still rocking slowly, grinding her hips against his, relishing the feeling of him pushing hard and insistent inside her. She bit her lower lip when his eyes opened and met hers. She writhed a little faster now, seeing a roaring fire in his silver eyes.

Riddick could tell she was trying to push him, trying to make him lose control first. Not this time, he thought. Oh no. Not this time. He slipped his hands up her belly to her breasts, squeezing her nipples in the same rhythm of her hips. Sweat beaded on her forehead, neck, and belly, slipping down her body in sexy, shining droplets. He could feel the insides of her thighs taking on a fine trembling.

Leilani gasped, then moaned wantonly as he slid one hand down her belly and began caressing the tiny knot of nerves between her thighs.

"Oh my God," she whispered as his thumb rubbed that small pearl of pleasure at a frenetic, hot pace.

Her hips bucked hard, throwing her forward onto him. She had lost control now. All that mattered was that beautiful release, so very close at hand. He forced her hips onto his in a hard, driving pace, matching each of her thrusts readily.

Stars burst before her eyes as she buried her face against his throat, crying out incoherently. The sensation lasted for nearly a full minute, leaving her whimpering with ecstasy the entire time.

Before she could register what was happening, she realized Riddick was now above her, his rhythm torturously slow as he dove into her. She looked up at his face, finding him smiling a damnedly sexy, Cheshire-cattish grin. He seized her lips with his, and dove harder, his pace dramatically increasing. Leilani wrapped her arms around his shoulders, matching his hips with hers.

She felt him tense, heard him hold his breath as she buried her face against his chest. As hard as he was diving into her, she could feel a second wave of pleasure building within her, making her intimate parts grip his tighter.

Riddick could feel the second orgasm building within her, hardly able to delay his own. He slowed the pace, though kept his thrusts hard. He looked down into her eyes, seeing clearly the demons of desire swirling in those green depths. He kissed her lips, hard, and began to go faster.

The second climax was much more violent than the first for Leilani, mostly because he climaxed with her. She cursed as her muscles spasmed and rocked against him, listening as his own breath hissed from between his lips in a string of matching curses.

He painfully dove into her, making her feel as if she were being torn in two. It wasn't a bad sort of pain. It was blissful and beautiful to her. Odd, now that she thought about it.

Riddick rolled to the side, dragging her so that she faced him on her side. Sweat glistened all over his body, casting a sexy sheen across his skin. His eyes were half-closed, like a big cat that's just eaten its fill off a recent kill. She almost expected him to start purring.

"What?" he asked as a sly little half-grin tugged at one side of her mouth.

"Nothing. You just remind me of a big ol' lion that's just eaten half an antelope," Leilani whispered, her voice cracking.

"Sweetheart, the way you rode me, I'd swear you were a fucking professional," he chided, thumping the tip of her nose with his index finger.

"I swear I'm—"

"I know," he cut her off, rolling so that he sat up on the edge of the bed. "God damn that was fucking hot."

Leilani giggled and scrambled to the other side of the bed where she stood up and stretched. Riddick watched her, his presently-slaked lust flaring unguarded in his eyes as he voraciously studied her naked form.

"Don't look at me like that. There'll be nothing left of me if you go at me again," she chided, walking towards the bathroom.

"Again with the water. Were you born in the shower?" he called as he heard her start the water jets.

"Probably!" she called back.

Laughing in amusement, Riddick lifted his frame from the bed. He stalked into the bathroom, not hesitating to step into the shower with her. He knew she could hear him by the way she tilted her head towards him as she washed her hair.

"This can't be good for your skin," he whispered, running his hands down her sides and settling at her hips.

"I'll put lotion on," she said with a cough as some water seeped unbidden into her mouth.

"You're not a fish," he laughed, nipping her neck as she finished rinsing the shampoo out of her hair.

"You don't know that."

"Well, if a fish swallows water, I doubt they choke," he stated, grabbing the body wash beside them and starting to lather up a loofah. He began to wash her back, tracing the contours of her spine in an arduous, loving fashion.

Leilani let the water sluice over her in prickling warm torrents, washing away the suds he deposited all over her body. She let him finish washing her entire body, then was surprised when he took her up in his arms and carried her out of the shower.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," she said as he started to towel her off, allowing her to finish drying her private parts and wrap the towel turban-style around her head.

"There's even more you don't know about me," he whispered, inclining his head toward the door, indicating that they were to exit the bathroom.

"Well, Mr. Badass Furyan whatever-you-are, that'll have to wait til tomorrow. I'm tired."

"I can make you untired," Riddick growled, swatting her bare derriere and ushering her out the bathroom door back into the bedroom.

"Make me untired in the morning, you fiend," she laughed, jumping on the bed and whipping the towel off her head. She shook her short hair and it fell in water-darkened purple strands about her face. She slipped beneath the covers and motioned him to join her.

"What if it is morning?" he countered, sliding into the bed beside her and coming to rest on his back. He folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the stormy ceiling.

"It's not til I say it is."

"Oh, so cocksure of yourself, hmm?"

"Where are we going? For our next stop, I mean."

The question was about as out of the blue as they come. He cast a sidelong glance at her.

"Wherever the hell we feel like so long as it's well out of the Milkyway and away from Helion Prime."

"What if they find us? Your—Necromonger friends?"

At this, Riddick laughed. "We'll blow 'em out of the fucking sky and jump into warp so fast they'll never know what happened."

"This is going to be fun," she whispered sleepily after a few moments of thoughtful silence.

"It sure is, kid. Now you've got the right idea," he softly replied as she snuggled up next to him.

He watched her sleep a while, listening to the pseudo-storm and watching the synthesized lightning. After a while, he too fell into the most beautiful, deep, dreamless sleep he'd ever had in his adult life.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8: Into the Wild Black Yonder**_

Leilani stirred, her body unable to remain in this beautiful deep sleep any longer. It was quite possibly the most refreshing sleep she'd ever had in her life. She felt as if some sort of magical force had gone through her body with a fine toothed comb and righted every wrong she'd ever committed against her body. She stretched, realizing some of her muscle groups were quite sore. She swiftly became acutely aware that someone was watching her. She could feel the weight of that ever-hungry silver stare, though she was currently the sole occupant of the bed. Glancing briefly around the room, she could see that dawn was breaking over a beautiful seaside beach. He must have changed the program to gently wake her.

Gently. It was probably the gentlest act he'd ever committed against her. The idea jerked her thoughts to the none-too-gentle antics of which she'd partaken the previous night with him. Scenes of what they'd done replayed uncensored in her memory, setting her cheeks and inner thighs on fire. Her lower belly was sore, and the extra heat extinguished the pain for the moment with waves of recalled pleasure. She reached for one of the sheets and covered herself, still unable to locate Riddick with her sleep-hazed eyes.

"Looking for me?"

The voice sounded from behind her. Leilani turned her head towards the sound and smiled when she found him, fully dressed, standing beside the control for the walls. He shifted some dials, the wall's response was to shift to a forest clearing at mid-morning. Birds chirped and sang, crickets issued forth their cello-like discordant symphony, and the wind stirred the leaves with gentle, breezy fingers.

Riddick sat next to her, openly perusing her mostly naked form.

"I don't think a toga is in style. Especially in that green," he chided, drawing a finger down her arm.

Leilani shivered and was quick to toss the only pillow left on the bed at him. "Get out so I can get dressed."

"No. My ship. I'll stay where I damn well please. I already picked something out for you."

"I'm not a doll that you can just dress and undress as is your want."

"On the contrary, you're quite a doll. Clothes are there on the chair. Meet me on the bridge when you're dressed. We gotta figure out where we're gonna go next."

With that, Riddick left the room, but not without a parting leer. Leilani shook her head and dragged the sheet around her as she exited the bed. She looked over the clothes on the chair, not remembering buying them. Just the same, they looked comfortable yet stylish. She was surprised that it wasn't just a string bikini thong. Then again, Riddick didn't seem the piggish type. He wanted quite a bit left to the imagination. Then, when the moment was right, he would tear everything off like a kid ripping wrapping paper off a much-anticipated present. There was a pair of rugged yet feminine black denim cargo jeans, a black tank, and a purple zipper-front hoodie with glittery designs down the left side and on the sleeves. He'd even thought to leave a clean pair of no-show white anklet socks, black boy-shorts trimmed with lilac lace, and a matching black lace-lined bra.

As she dressed, she reviewed what he'd said in her head. He'd used "we" instead of "I". He was actually letting her call some of the shots now. Not that it mattered at this point. She had no idea what the hell to do or where the hell to go. Hell, they may just go to Hell if she kept that kind of thinking up. She laughed at herself, pulling on her socks. She stumbled and nearly fell when the ship lurched to the side.

Cursing, she hurriedly tied her shoes and raced to the bridge. Riddick was manning the controls, watching the heads up display (HUD), something slightly akin to worry etching his features. Some of that worry dissipated as he guided the ship back into cold, empty space.

"What's going on?" Leilani asked, strapping herself in to the co-pilot chair. She noted that there was a cup of hot coffee sitting in the cup holder and a plate secured on the console with bacon, eggs, and a bagel. She immediately started eating.

"Asteroid field. I took it off auto-pilot evade mode, and it decided to list to port," he replied, adjusting a lever that controlled thrust.

"I almost fell," she said, eating and watching as the stars zoomed by.

"You're alright," he laughed. He put the ship back on autopilot and turned the HUD into an interactive, real-time star chart of the nearest galaxies, planets, constellations, asteroid belts, comets, and other stellar bodies within three galaxies.

Leilani looked over the maps, largely unfamiliar with most. There was Earth—a planet which she very much wanted to visit, but was entirely out of the question. She sighed and continued looking over the HUD, noting the name of the galaxy as the Gamma galaxy. It was a spiral-shaped galaxy that was bright and beautiful, with a hotly burning, very large sun. If a galaxy could be tropical, this one was it. She pointed at a planet half-way through the galaxy, about where Earth would be located in relation to its Sun, though this sun was much larger and much hotter than the Milky Way's sun, even though it was re-lit.

As her finger touched the HUD, it brought up a planetary view, showing the surface, weather, and timetables of the planet. It was called Hibiscus. Leilani knew that the name was of an Earth flower native to a tropical island somewhere in one of the planet's oceans. She was awful with geography, and couldn't quite remember the name of the island. She touched the screen again, and the planet came to life, spinning slowly while showing the names of the countries, territories, oceans, lakes, rivers, and mountains.

"Good choice," Riddick said as she searched the planet's surface for a landing zone. "Named after a flower in Hawaii."

"Hawaii. That's it. I couldn't remember the name of the island."

"Actually, it's not an island. It's an island chain. Two of the islands are now extinct. They had a huge eruption of two volcanoes on those islands a couple hundred years ago. Blame it on the dying sun," Riddick replied.

"You never struck me as a geography major," Leilani said as Riddick set the course for the planet Hibiscus.

"When you're on the run, it's a prerequisite," he said, still punching buttons and watching the HUD for confirmation. The ship confirmed the coordinates. "Ok," he continued, standing and holding out his hand. "Time for cryo-sleep. We're gonna be out for a week."

Leilani groaned. "But I just woke up!"

Riddick sighed. "Yeah, you're right, I was kind of hoping for another toss in the sack before lights out."

"Oh you're despicable!" she cried, standing up indignantly.

"Yeah? Show me just how despicable you really think I am," he growled, standing as well. He grabbed her by the upper arm.

"Can't we just—wait a week before we go to cryo-sleep?"

Riddick pondered this all the while leading her back towards the bedroom. "Really, that isn't too bad of an idea. It would be more difficult for them to find us out in uninhabited space like this. And, for the time being, it will be easier to run if they do find us."

"See? You should listen to me more often."

"That's the extent of it. Now shut the fuck up," he growled, savagely kissing her and throwing her against the wall outside their bedroom.

It kinda hurt, thought Leilani as he ravaged her mouth with his. Though, she had to admit, there was a certain thrill to being this rough with each other. It heightened all of the other sensations until pain nearly registered as blissful pleasure. She met his fervor with her own, deciding that she might try to catch him off his guard.

Riddick growled in stunned though pleasant amusement as Leilani launched him backward, slamming him into the wall on the other side of the hall with much more force than he'd honestly thought possible of her. She laughed viciously against his mouth, a foreign and enticing sound to Riddick's ears. He continued kissing her; acutely aware of her fingers prying at his belt.

"I think I like you more when you're like this," he rasped, grabbing a handful of her outrageous purple hair and yanking her head back. He kissed her throat, nipping along the delicate cords of sinew all the while unzipping her hoodie with his other hand.

Leilani gasped at the rough treatment, though she found herself furiously aroused by his animalistic gruffness. He let go of her hair and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands slipping to cup her buttocks. He lifted her so that she was forced to wrap her legs around his torso. It was in this manner that he carried her into the bedroom, unceremoniously dropping her onto the bed beneath his onslaught of lust.

Just then, the ship's defense alarms began chiming. Issuing a furious oath, Riddick jumped off of Leilani and bolted back towards the bridge. Leilani cursed under her breath, her heart feeling like it was going to beat its way out of her chest, and breathlessly addressed the ship's computer.

"Lift holographic walls."

The serene forest clearing dissipated immediately to reveal open space and all its desolate beauty. Another cruiser, much smaller than the one they were on had appeared out of hyperdrive a few kilometers from them. It hailed them, announcing it was merely a merchant ship whose navigation system was a touch out of whack and kept delivering them to coordinates several lightyears off target.

Riddick gave them the coordinates and vectors to reach the orbit of Mars, their intended destination, and they thanked him before blasting off towards the red planet without any further questions. In fact, blessedly, they seemed as ready to get rid of him as he was them. He cursed them for nearly prematurely ending his life via massive heart attack while he enabled the ship's defense shields again. Riddick engaged the hyperdrive and let the ship race into open space, seeking to unass the area as quickly as possible. The less people knew about where he and Leilani were, the better off they'd both be.

Leilani headed back up to the bridge after waiting for Riddick to return for half an hour, wondering what it was that was keeping him so long. She could feel the change in the ship, knowing they were moving at hyperspeed through the galaxy. She knew Riddick was spooked, but she didn't think he'd react so strongly.

She reached the bridge just as he took the ship out of hyperdrive and set a saner speed out of the galaxy. They'd nearly traversed the distance to Saturn by now. The ringed planet was just barely visible to the port side of the ship. It was more beautiful than any photograph she'd ever seen of the planet.

Leilani recalled that Saturn was largely uninhabitable long before the Milky Way's sun had burned out. It was particularly devoid of sustenance now, though it was very beautiful. Clouds shifted and shimmered in the planet's atmosphere, giving it an almost mystic quality, speaking of the unknown and its many secrets. The material floating in its rainbow of orbital rings glistened and sparkled like many-colored jewels.

"Saturn's always been a beautiful planet," Riddick stated after a few moments, watching Leilani intently.

"It's completely different seeing it with your own eyes," Leilani whispered, standing and going to the window to peer more closely at it.

"It is," he agreed, coming up behind her. He smoothed a hand appreciatively over the curve of her derriere, pushing her fully against the glass when she tried to turn away from his touch.

"Riddick don't ruin the moment," she said softly as he held her body captive against the glass with his own.

"I'm not. I'm creating a better one," he bemusedly rasped, circling a hand around her waist and undoing the button and fly of her pants.

"You're—desecrating it," she growled at him, swatting his hand away from sliding inside her panties.

"I'm good at that," he replied, snatching up her protesting hand and securing it behind her back. He pushed her against the glass again, his lips brushing her ear.

Leilani hated the fact that he could render her absolutely helpless at a single touch. At a single breath of naughty promises. Hell, all the hellishly gorgeous brute of a man had to do was look at her a certain way and she was his to manipulate any way he pleased. But she'd never admit that to him. She was having a hard enough time admitting it to herself.

When all was said and done, they ended up on the floor of the cockpit breathing heavily next to the pilot's chair. She was quite sure she'd have a number of bruises after how roughly he'd pushed her around. Her lips were kiss swollen. Her thighs trembled. She felt as if she'd been nearly rent in two. He wasn't without battle scars.

Riddick sat up on one elbow, staring down at Leilani's flushed face. She'd been animalistic with him, tossing him just as hard as he tossed her. She'd left long scratches down his back as he'd furiously taken her. She'd bitten his shoulder in two different places hard enough to break the skin and leave fresh bruises. He rather liked it, he thought with a smirk as he traced a trail from her belly button to the shallow valley between her breasts with the sensitized pad of his index finger.

"Keep that up and I'll have to add a few more mementos of battle to your body," Leilani half-threatingly whispered, keeping her eyes closed. She knew they'd betray her to him the fact that she'd never quite get enough of him.

Riddick smiled and drew her to rest above him. "Make that a promise instead of a threat and you've got yourself a deal."

"I think I'm ready for cryosleep."

He laughed. "No you're not."

"Yes, I am," Leilani insisted, trying to get up but unsurprisingly finding her efforts halted by his reluctant hands.

"What made you change your mind so suddenly?" he asked, a note something like hurt creeping at the edge of his tone.

"I just—You scare me."

"I've told you before. You don't have to fear me."

Leilani smiled down at him. "I need to work on my novel."

Riddick sat up, taking her with him, positioning her across his lap. "Why? It's work. You don't work anymore."

"Yes I do. I'm your—"

"If you finish that sentence with any word resembling harlot, slut, whore, or any other sort of derogatory variation, I'm going to cut loose on you again and show you how fuckin' untrue that is."

She smiled and cupped his chin with one hand. "I was going to say partner in crime."

"That's more like it. Glad to have you on board."

"No problem, skipper."

Riddick laughed at that. "Skipper? That's a bit too Gilligan. I like Captain better. Speaking of monikers, we need to set up a few USICs for each of us. C'mon, I've got a computer program installed that'll generate names and shit for us."

Leilani crawled off his lap, looking around for her clothes. He'd ripped her bra off so harshly that he'd broken one of the straps. She honestly couldn't recall exactly how that had happened, but it really didn't matter at this point. Sighing, she donned the tank top and hoodie without the added brassiere support, also donning her underwear and pants.

He sat down in the pilot seat, clad only in his previously outfitted boxer briefs. The waistband was torn in a couple of places. Leilani knew she had done it, but couldn't quite remember. She'd been so ferociously lost in their lovemaking that she couldn't remember the specifics of the act. All she remembered was the insatiable, burning lust she sought to slake along with his paralleled ardor. It occurred to her then that perhaps something was wrong with this sort of relationship. It wasn't really what she wanted, and she felt ashamed that she was satisfied to settle for it. Then again—was it really a relationship? He'd kidnapped her, though not completely unwillingly. He'd taken her body as his pleasure outlet. He'd given her luxuries she would never have had in her wildest of fancies. It wasn't that she was complaining. It was just—uncomfortable, in a word.

"Hey," he said somewhat sharply, driving her from her thoughts.

"What?" she asked, sounding like a kid who'd just gotten caught daydreaming in chem class.

"We're getting new Universal Serial Identification Codes. I've asked you what nationality you'd prefer twice now. Why'd you zone out?"

"Sorry. I was just—nevermind. What are my choices?" she distractedly replied, swiveling the chair to face him more fully.

"Helion Prime Lunar XII, Jupiter, or Hibiscus."

"Well since we're going there—"

"Hibiscus. I thought so. Ok."

She watched as Riddick went back to typing something on the cockpit keyboard. A few seconds later, a card ejected from the control panel. Riddick handed it to her for approval.

It had a photo of Leilani sitting in the very chair in which she now sat. He must have taken it while she was lost in thought. Beside her photo was her information. He made her two years younger, a half inch shorter, blue-eyed, and naturally brunette. She had a new ten-digit ID number corresponding with Hibiscan identification codes. Her name was Mrs. Daniella Stevens, wife of Captain Archibald Stevens. She was an organ donor.

"What if I didn't want to be married or be an organ donor?" Leilani griped, pocketing the ID card.

"Shouldn'ta zoned out on me. Next time you'll pay attention," Riddick laughed as another card issued forth from the control panel. He pocketed it and leaned back in the chair, his salacious grin grating suddenly on her nerves.

"Ok, _Archie_, I'm going to hit the gym," Leilani said, standing up.

"Good idea," Riddick agreed, startling her by getting up and walking out of the cockpit without any smartass or piggish comments.

Leilani followed him back to their bedroom. He tugged on a pair of khaki shorts over his boxers while Leilani stripped and donned a sports bra and a pair of his running shorts. Though his eyes traveled over her body in unfeigned interest, he behaved himself and escorted her towards the recreation room of the ship.

"Still want to go into cryo sleep when we're done working out?" he asked as he held open the door leading into the rec room for her.

"I don't know what the hell I want," Leilani honestly replied.

"That's a damn fact," Riddick huffed, following her lead.

He walked over to where the bow-flex was and began stretching his upper body and torso. Leilani watched him for a moment, awestruck by the masculine beauty on display before her. He stretched every heavy cord of muscle seemingly individually; a predator of lethal grace preparing for a hunt.

It occurred to her that he would be an excellent protagonist in a novel. He possessed such a powerful, demanding presence and strength of character that it would be a travesty of good storytelling to deny him a starring role. The only catch was that as of right now, she'd have to pen such a story under the pseudonym of Daniella Stevens. Good God, that was entirely too close of a pen name to that of the fabled and overrated Danielle Steele.

She tore her eyes off of the demigod before her and began stretching her own muscles. She paid special attention to her legs, fully intending to work them the hardest. Once warmed up, she stepped onto the treadmill and began a slow jog. She snatched up the earphones that were plugged into the integrated audio system on the sophisticated machine's control panel. Old Earth hard rock serenaded her ears as she let the heavy beat set her pace.

She stopped after about an hour, sweat coursing down her body. She'd never been one to work out or worry about fitness, but for the love of all that was good and holy, no physical workout she'd ever done felt as good as this. She removed the ear buds from her ears, her entire body shaking from exertion.

"Get back on there and walk slowly for the next five minutes," Riddick imperiously stated. "It's not good to just completely stop. You did good with your warm up, but you've gotta let your body cool down or it completely defeats the purpose. The body is like a complicated engine. You have to warm it up properly for it to run at its best. You're not used to the strenuous sort of workout you just did, so if you don't let it wind itself down, you're gonna be sore and out of sorts for the rest of the day."

Leilani smiled at him. "Sounds like you care," she said as she stepped back on the treadmill and commenced walking slowly. She engaged the timer.

Riddick merely grunted in response, mounting the treadmill next to hers. He slipped the ear buds into his ears and was lost to Leilani. Lost in the same world she'd just occupied a few moments ago. The world where nothing but the music exists to whisk the mind away to the universe of the wailing guitars, hammering drums, and sorrowful, raging voice of the singer.

She watched his pace pick up five minutes later as Leilani dismounted her treadmill once more. Nothing registered to him except the music and the pace his body kept to it. His eyes did not follow her as she walked past him. Sighing, she admitted grudgingly to herself that she had grown quite accustomed to and appreciative of the attention he bestowed upon her.

Leilani laid down on the floor next to the bow flex and began doing crunches. After 50, she turned on her side and did 50 side crunches. She repeated the same on her other side before engaging the bow flex. Before she knew it, another half hour had passed. As she let the tension out of the bow on her last arm extension repetition, she could feel the full weight of that silver stare return.

Deciding to play coy, she ignored him and walked towards the bedroom. She knew he followed her, though he said nothing and made not one single sound. Leilani walked into the bathroom, stripping out of her sweat soaked clothes. She turned the shower on and turned around. She was alone, though she could have sworn he was right behind her the entire time. Sighing almost dejectedly, she stepped into the shower and proceeded to wash herself.

Riddick sat on the bed, looking at the bathroom door. What the hell was he doing? This thing had gotten quite out of control. What exactly would they do on Hibiscus? Go country clubbing? Seriously? And that whole comment she'd made about caring unsettled him. He had detected a slight note of sarcasm. Of course he cared about her. He'd made that clear enough, hadn't he? What the hell did she want? For him to say he—

His train of thought slammed into the wall his mind hastily constructed. That was a four letter word he had all the trouble in the world saying, let alone thinking. It was probably the only four letter word in existence on which he had any reservation. Honestly, he didn't know what he felt for her. She'd started off as someone to whom he was instantly attracted. It was purely animalistic attraction. He wrote it off as his Furyan side wreaking havoc on his emotive human side. Now, he wasn't quite so sure if it was the other way around.

She'd been so distant earlier. She'd been distant in the rec room. It was most definitely out of character for her to want to work out. He'd had her pegged as the type naturally blessed with a beautiful body. If she were to keep up that sort of behavior, she'd be an absolute goddess in no time flat. He adored ravaging that body, seeing her respond in kind to him. He recognized in her the same animalistic side he possessed. She hid it very well, under that goofy, often aloof façade. She was intelligent, but at the same time innocent. He'd pondered his feelings for her many a time before. It was another fact that made him so damned attracted to her; the fact that she always had him thinking about her.

His mind's eye recalled unbidden the image of her stepping off that treadmill, her body shaking from exertion, the sheen of sweat enticing his primitive lust. He hadn't meant to be so sharp with her about cooling down, but it was the reins slipping that made him respond that way. He hated and loved that about her. She didn't have to try at all to make him lose control.

The shower engaged, dragging him from his thoughts. Jesus fucking Christ, he'd taken her three times in the past day. He could take her again if he wanted. He knew it. She'd let him. Fuck, she'd dominate him as much as he dominated her. The animal within him growled, pulling back its lips and baring its fangs at the tantalizing prospect. Yes, he could take her again and feel no remorse. She was his. His for the taking.

No. Reason and sanity spoke within his mind. They had to chart a course for Hibiscus. He had to figure out what they were going to do. He could feel that the Necros had a sense of where he was. That they were somehow close to finding him. He had to be prepared. They'd be out to kill him. He knew full well that they'd kill her too. Just like they'd done Kyra.

Riddick clutched his head with his hands, eyes closed tightly and brows furrowing in rage-filled trepidation. He saw her most nights in his dreams, though since he'd incorporated Leilani in his life, he hadn't seen her once. Still, there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't regret setting eyes on Kyra. Because of him, she'd been infatuated with the vagabond life of an escaped convict, idolizing him, turning him into an unwilling, deranged sort of hero. In the end, she'd made him exactly that. She'd given her life so that he may continue his. It should have been the fucking other way around. Though, had it happened that way, she'd have been crushed by Lord Vaako in the end. He guiltily conceded that she'd been doomed to the same fate either way. But it was still his fault and his fault entirely.

He recalled seeing her in the slam on Crematoria. Fuck, that woman had set his blood on fire. She'd become his feminine equal. Her eyes betrayed knowledge no one so young should have possessed. It was a potent allure. And because he had thought it fun to keep her along, he'd cost her the life she could have enjoyed. He'd lost her everything.

And now, he was doing it again. He was condemning Leilani to the same fate. Only, she had no knowledge of the cruelties of the world. She was sheltered. She was innocent. She was a treasure to be protected. And this time failure was not an option.

He stood and grabbed the towel he'd used last night off the nightstand. It didn't mean he couldn't still have a bit of fun with her along the way. Someday they'd be free. Someday he'd atone for all the wrongs he'd done regarding the women he dragged into his life. Someday he'd make it all right. That someday began today: With Leilani.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9: Hiding Hibiscus**_

Mist crowded in around them, cold in its undulating evanescence, almost thick enough to touch. She lazily lifted a hand, her head fogged and chilled. In this dreamlike state, she thought she was flying, floating on the frigid mist.

"We meet again. Go back to sleep. We're not there yet."

It was Riddick, but not Riddick. It was that animal side he'd revealed only in cryo. She'd met this side of him before and she'd been intensely intrigued by it. It was dangerous, malicious, but somehow irresistibly alluring.

"I don't want to," she sleepily protested. "How can you be both sleeping and awake?"

"The same way you can," the harsh, growling tone replied, punching the dosage button.

"But I'm not-"

Leilani fought to stay awake, protesting the entire time, but the concoction of tranquilizers and cold prevailed a mere second later.

Awareness crept slowly into Leilani's mind, an effervescent being in and of itself. It slithered through the caverns and passages of her consciousness, whispering of wakefulness. She began to recognize it and with that recognition came the awakening of her senses. The chill of the cryo fog had begun to thaw, raising goose bumps across the expanse of her flesh. The whoosh of the oxygen generators had fallen silent leaving a silence so deep, she could hear her own blood rushing through her ears. A new sound emerged from the deafening roar in her ears a moment later. She could hear Riddick's breathing, steady, deep, and slow. Then she could hear his heart. No, not hear it. Feel it. Next to hers, it thudded a slow, strong cadence of life.

"Are you awake?" the deep baritone voice asked in a low whisper.

Leilani opened her eyes. The fog had all but disappeared. She was aware that they were both naked. She suddenly burned every place his skin touched hers. Her face flushed and she abruptly separated herself from him.

The cryo tube doors swished open, warmth flooding in and bathing her body in its gentle ambiance. She looked at Riddick before crossing the threshold.

"Where did you say you were from?" he asked her, the look on his face registering anxious curiosity with that feral quality only he possessed.

"I was born and raised on Helion Medialis. Never left the place."

"What about your parents? Where were they from?"

"They _are_ from Helion Medialis as well. Born and raised. Why?"

"You're certain of this?" Riddick asked, swiftly closing the gap she'd created between them.

"Yes."

"Have you seen your birth certificate?"

"Yes. What kind of stupid question is that? Why does it matter?"

"There are only three types of humans who can register both conscious and unconscious in cryo sleep. One is the Gematrians on the outskirts of Gamma quadrant—but they're staunch recluses and don't even have a home planet. The second is the gypsy-like clan from Earth called the Eyes of Anubis. They're extinct. They died out after Earth's sun burned out. And the third—well, we both know what that is. I don't think you are who you say you are. Probably no fault of your own—but I think your parents might know. I think you'd better hope they either adopted you, or that they aren't Furyan. If they are Furyan, they're probably dead by now."

Leilani struck him. "Don't you say that. Who the hell are you to question _my_ ancestry? You know nothing about anything but yourself. You care nothing for no one but yourself."

Tears stung her eyes as she bolted towards the bedroom. She wasn't quite sure what her punishment would be for her bad behavior, but at this point she didn't care. If her family was dead because of Riddick, she'd kill him.

Riddick followed, his cheek stinging. He hadn't expected the blow, though he guessed he should have after making such accusations. Well, no, they weren't accusations. They had to be truths. How else could she wake up during cryo sleep? No one did that. No one but Furyans and Gematrians. Gematrians never came close to the Helion system. They abhorred organized religion different from their own, and the Helion system was rife with religious zealots much opposed to the Gematrian way of life. Especially with the Necromongers in town.

"Leilani, listen to me," Riddick stated in an imperious tone as he entered the bedroom.

"If my family is dead because of you-"

"Because of me? Whoa, wait a minute-"

"No, you wait a minute. If those damned Necromongers kill my parents because I ran off with some Furyan rogue-"

"They wouldn't kill them because you ran off with me, Leilani. They'd kill them because they're Furyan. And that is a giant stretch. I'm supposed to be the last one. I highly doubt they're Furyan. Though I'm becoming to be a believer that you are. Explains a lot about you. Maybe you were adopted and they never told you?"

"I'm not a Furyan and I'm not adopted."

"How do you know?" Riddick prodded, stepping up to her and taking her in his arms.

"Because my family has been prominent on Helion Medialis for the past three hundred years. When it was a monarchy, they were Lords under the King. I know that I am not adopted because when I was eight, my parents nearly divorced over the issue of my mother's ten year affair with another man. My father demanded a paternity test."

"And?"

"He's my father. Not the man with whom my mother had her affair."

Riddick looked into her eyes, trying to discern whether or not she was telling the truth. He came to his own conclusion after a few moments.

"Nice try," he said with a mocking smile, "But Helion Medialis never had Lords. So, while the adopted possibility is out, there's still the question of your ancestry."

Leilani smiled in return. "If I were Furyan, the Necros would have killed us a long time ago. I spoke with a purifier shortly before you defeated Lord Vaako. He would have known what I was, even if I didn't."

Riddick laughed. "You're so cock sure of yourself. But you're wrong. I spoke with a purifier, too. He knew there were others. How did he know? Because he was a Furyan himself. If it was the same purifier, which is pretty much beyond a shadow of a doubt, he'd have spared you, knowing that I was still in existence."

"I'm _not_ a Furyan."

"You could be."

"I'm not."

Riddick released her and walked over toward the bed where he stretched out before lying on his side facing her.

Leilani blushed. He was so comfortable with himself that she envied him. Then again, any man who possessed a body like that should have no problems strutting around in full naked glory. She wasn't comfortable with her own body, though in his presence, she didn't quite feel so—what was the word? Inferior? No, that wasn't it. Well, he made her feel beautiful. Stunning, even. He'd treated her like a goddess, in his own feral way.

What if he was right? What if by some insane twist of fate or reality or whatever anyone wanted to call it—what if she was a Furyan? She couldn't be. Furyans were warriors. They were fierce. They were indomitable. What was she? She wasn't a warrior by any stretch of the imagination. She was a writer. An artist. She wasn't fierce at all. Quite the contrary—she was as fierce as a newborn kitten. And indomitable? While she had quite the stubborn streak, Riddick had proven otherwise. He'd quite dominated her, hadn't he?

"You're thinking about it."

"What?" Leilani asked, startled from the depths of her perturbed thoughts.

"You're contemplating the fact that you might really be Furyan."

"I am not. Riddick, I'm about as much of a Furyan as Dame Vaako."

Riddick laughed at this. "With the way she acts, I have no doubts she's one too. Or at least was."

Leilani released an exasperated sigh. "How long til we reach Hibiscus, Sherlock?"

"Sherlock?"

"Ugh, you really should read more," Leilani said, throwing up her hands.

"I read," he replied indignantly.

"Not enough," Leilani retorted.

He glowered at her but said nothing. Leilani threw up her hands again and walked into the bathroom. Riddick left her alone while she quickly showered. She returned to the bedroom after to find him reading something on the enormous screen that served as the window in the bedroom.

"What's that?" Leilani asked, pointing directly at the screen.

"I'm reading," Riddick tersely replied.

"No...No..._that!"_ Leilani cried, just as the screen lit up and flames licked along the outside of the ship's protective barriers. The ship listed hard to starboard, sending Leilani flying into the wall and Riddick off the bed.

"Fuck!" he cursed, snatching a pair of cargo pants and donning them while running to the cockpit.

Leilani rolled onto her back, hardly able to breathe, and stars burst white in front of her eyes. "Ow," she grunted as she sat up, and another missile slammed into the ship. She rolled with it this time and slammed into the dresser. She used the dresser to stand and quickly pulled some clothes out. She donned them as Riddick whipped the ship around to face their attackers. Leilani then raced to the bridge.

"Where the fuck have you been?! Sit down, strap in, and man those damn guns!" Riddick barked at her.

"What guns and how?" Leilani shouted back at him, strapping the harness over her shoulders.

"Grab that stick. Rotate it a couple times. Watch the HUD. It'll show you where you're aiming. Compensate for their speed. Aim for the engines if you can. Press the red button on top with your thumb to fire," Riddick fired off the instructions, using the joystick in front of him in the exact same fashion as he'd told her to do.

Leilani grabbed the stick with both hands and started to rotate it. Surely enough, a little red circle with crosshairs showed up and she used it to target the enormous Necromonger ship that had engaged them.

"Fire! Fire dammit!" Riddick yelled.

Leilani started hammering on the little red button on the top of the stick as fast as she could. Her set of guns wasn't firing rapidly like Riddick's was, it was firing much more volatile munitions.

The first set of explosions rippled in space around the Necromonger ship, but the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth punctured its defenses and explosions rocked the Necros' hull. In a brilliant flash of light, the whole ship erupted.

"Shit, hold on," Riddick said, banking the ship hard and high, the boosters engaging and slamming Leilani back in her seat so hard she couldn't breathe.

They didn't get out of the blast radius swiftly enough, and it sent their ship in a wild spin. Leilani closed her eyes while Riddick fought with the controls. After what seemed like years, he evened the ship back out. Leilani leaned forward and undid the straps, then ran over to the sink in the kitchenette, where she dry heaved for several moments. The fifth or sixth time her stomach lurched, she coughed up blood.

"Oh that can't be good," she weakly managed, sliding down to sit on the floor.

"Nice shootin' ace!" he bellowed, coming to a sliding halt on his knees next to her. Then he saw the blood on her lips. "Shit. What happened?"

"I don't fuckin' know," Leilani coughed again, wincing and instinctively gripping her right side.

He grunted and lifted her shirt, then sighed when he saw the enormous bruises beginning to form over her ribs. "C'mon kid. Med bay, now." He hauled her to her feet and helped her to the med bay.

Leilani scooted up onto the table while Riddick calibrated the scanner that hovered over her. It lowered and the tiny lasers started scanning.

"There it is. No internal bleeding, maybe nicked a lung," Riddick said after a moment. "Got a cracked rib though, kid."

"All right! More battle scars," Leilani wheezed as she sat up, gingerly holding her side.

"That's the spirit," he rumbled.

"Right... So... What the _hell_ was that and how did they find us?" she said, following him back to the cockpit.

"I don't know, but I think Hibiscus is out. Plan B."

"And Plan B is...?"

"Run like hell."

"Gr-ay-ay-ate," Leilani 'hmphed' as she sat down and strapped back in.

Particles and chunks of the ship burned all around them, suspended like tiny whizzing fireflies in the zero gravity of space. Leilani replayed the events of the last few moments in her mind and realization of what she had done slammed into her.

"I wasn't firing bullets," she whispered after a few moments of silence. Riddick was tapping away at the console in front of him and brought up star charts on the giant HUD.

"No, some of those were EMP missiles, and the last two you fired were mini nukes."

Leilani's stomach turned and she almost retched again. "How many people were on that ship, do you think?"

"50, 60 maybe," Riddick distractedly replied, tapping on a star cluster and investigating it. He nodded to himself and set the course before turning to look at her. "Hey—hey-"

Leilani doubled over against the harness and held her head in her hands. "I'm a murderer."

"No." His tone was harsh. "No you're not. They would have killed both of us."

"Not all of them wished us harm."

"No, but enough of them did. You nailed them perfectly. Blindsided them. They didn't see that coming. You kept us alive, darlin'. Give yourself some credit and don't worry about them."

"How can you be so...cold? Those were lives... They had families..."

"No they didn't. They were Necro soldiers. Think about it for a second," he curtly said. "They don't give a shit about life."

Leilani looked over at him, then back out at the aftermath of the battle. Riddick hit the shutters on the outside of the HUD and they quickly slammed shut, removing the scene from her view.

"C'mon. We gotta eat and then go back to cryo. We're heading for Gamma."

Leilani followed him into the kitchen and sat on the counter while he cooked. "Gamma?" she asked after a moment. "But that's not a...friendly place."

"They won't bother us, and they'll attack any Necro ship to come within 10 light years."

"You hope," Leilani sarcastically stated. "I just got out of fucking cryo. I don't want to go back in it."

"We might not have a choice, kid."


End file.
